


Firsts

by Fallen_Ark_Angel



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-26 18:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 78,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3860560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallen_Ark_Angel/pseuds/Fallen_Ark_Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lisanna never thought that her first time could set off such a chain reaction. But now she has Laxus pretending to be her big brother and Bickslow practically hanging on her every word. How did this happen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  


The first thing she thought when she woke up was that she had been in battle or something. She hurt. Not just the regular kind either. She  _hurt_.

Then she remembered why.

Opening her eyes, Lisanna was met with an empty bed and a messy room. He clearly hadn't been expecting visitors the night before when he invited her back to his places. There were clothes strewn across the room as well as random soda cans and beer bottles scattered around.

Just then, the door to the room opened and he walked back in, wearing only a pair of boxers and nothing else. He started to head over his closet, but when he noticed that he was up, he changed his path towards the bed instead, making sure to close the door behind him then, no doubt to keep his 'babies' out.

"You're up," he said as he slowly went to climb back into his bed. Lisanna only stared at him, not sure what to say. She had never been put in such a position before. And all the times that she had pictured it, her first time, the last person she ever thought it would be with was Bickslow.

In fact, since she was a little girl, it had always been Natsu. And they had been dating forever and he was a perfect gentleman about it. Then he had pledged his undying love for her and there were candles and music and…and… And now she had lost it to a guy that she had never really given a second glance.

"Yeah," she said softly as he moved to get back under the covers with her. She thought that he'd be kicking her out already, but he seemed to be laying down with her once more for some reason.

"Well," he slowly said as he moved to lay on his side, staring at her. She was still on her stomach, pushing up slightly and angling her head to glance at him. When she remembered that she was still very much so nude though, she fell back on the bed, somehow bashful in the daylight. Seeing then, Bickslow only shook his head. "Here. You wanna get dressed?"

"Yes, please."

He grinned then before slowly moving to get right back out of bed. "I'm guessing you want me to leave, huh?"

She blinked. Why was he being so nice to her?

"It's your room," she told him then, making him stop. Then he just sat there on the bed, staring down at her. When he found that she wouldn't remove her eyes from him, he frowned.

"What are you looking at?" he asked as she moved to sit up some too, showing off her breasts fully then. They were keeping eye contact then though and she forgot about being embarrassed.

"It's your face," she whispered softly then, turning to face him. "I've never really paid that much attention to it. And in the light…it's just…your tattoo."

He only sat still, his eyes crossing then as he watched her reach a hand out to press gently against his face, in the center of his tattoo. Then, very gently, she ghosted a finger around the ink, as if tracing it.

"You don't like it?" he asked softly, not used to this reaction with women. Heck, nothing about Lisanna was what he was expecting. She was so…different. Almost childlike.

"I do," she admitted to him then, slowly removing her hand. "I think it's handsome. I- Bickslow."

He grabbed her hand when she tried to drop it, holding it gently in his own. The gaze he was giving her, all it did was bring the night before back to her with a flush.

Mira was being so mean to her. Well, not mean, but not exactly nice either. She told Lisanna that she was going out with Laxus that night and that she would have to find some other way to entertain herself. All Lisanna did was remind Mira of the fact that they were supposed to go out together that night, alone, a girl's night. Then Mira only giggled and told her when she had a boyfriend, she'd understand. That Laxus just got into town the night before and wanted to be with her.

"There's no way, Lisanna," Mirajane had said, "for you to understand what it's like. You're just too young. So find something else to do, okay? Maybe Lucy and Natsu will let you play with them."

That alone was enough to set her off. Where did Mirajane get off anyhow, treating her as if she were a child? She was not that much older than her. She just wasn't. Yet she always acted like there were decades separating them. There weren't. Just a few measly years and months.

So she went down to the guildhall to, well, find Natsu and Lucy. They weren't around though. Happy either. In fact, none of her friends were really around. It felt like everyone in the guild had a social life and she was just realizing she was the last left without one. Elfman was there though, pretending not to be interested in Evergreen. They were seated at two different tables though they were next to one another.

Her big brother immediately pulled her down next to him at his table and began talking loudly to her, though he continued to sneak peeks at Ever. The other woman only then pretended to talk to the person over at her table as well, which happened to be Bickslow.

And then somehow, they all ended up at the same table and Elfman, who was a little drunk, invited Evergreen out. She must have been a little tipsy too because she agreed and then they were leaving Lisanna behind to. Then it was just Bickslow and her together and she was all depressed and he hadn't been laid in a few weeks and…well…

Oh no! It suddenly came to her. She had just given up her virginity to get back at Mirajane and Elfman for ditching her! How horrible. It was something you could never get back, after all, and she had just wasted it.

"Your hands are so soft," Bickslow told he softly then as he continued to hold her hand. Slowly, he let it go though before grinning at her. "So now what, huh? You wanna go to breakfast?"

Blinking, she only stared at him for a moment. That was the same thing she had said to her the night before. Only it went more like,

"So they both left us then? Now what? You wanna go to dinner?"

And then, somehow between fast food and him walking her home, they ended up at his apartment and he just wouldn't stop kissing her! Not that she had hated it. In fact, she actually rather loved it. The only other person she'd ever kissed, really, was Natsu when they were growing up. And even then, it had just been a peck or two, here or there. He'd always gotten super embarrassed though.

No. The way Bickslow had kissed her was totally different. It was…adult. Because he was an adult. And so was she! Everyone always treated her like a baby, as if she were a child, but no way. Not with Bickslow. And as he had closed his apartment door behind them with a bang, his babies fluttering in just barely, she had never felt more grownup.

And it had all felt so good, so rushed, so flustering. And somehow they were in his bedroom, that door shut too though it was more to keep his babies out who only whined about being left behind. Then they were on his bed and Bickslow was pushing her shirt up, pressing some kisses against the pale flesh of her tummy.

It felt so great. It felt so real. And there was nothing Mirajane or Elfman could do to stop it. She wasn't just going to go and play with Natsu or giggle and gossip with Levy and Lucy anymore. No. She was going to be a woman. Who slept with people. Lots of people. And wouldn't they feel bad then, huh? When she was out having tons of sex with tons of guys and there would be nothing they could do to stop her, because they'd know that it was all their faults. If only they'd paid her some more attention. Would Laxus and Evergreen be so important then?

Huh?

And even though Mira wouldn't give her alcohol, claiming she was too young to drink, Mirajane hadn't been the one behind the bar that night and Kinana knew of no restrictions. So with a little bit of some sort of sweet tasting wine on her lips, Lisanna whispered yes to Bickslow when he asked her,

"You sure?"

She knew that he was only asking because they, for all intents and purposes, worked together. And that would more or less ruin everything. Or at the very least change it all. For a moment, she wondered how many people up at the guild he'd slept with. She really hoped not Mirajane because, revenge or not, it would just be far too weird.

Then Bickslow had been pulling her shorts down, though not all the way. Just enough so he could slip a hand down there and feel around a bit. And oh, if Lisanna had thought making out was wonderful…

And he kept whispering things to her. Things that really made no sense in her mind as she focused solely on what his fingers were doing and less on anything else. Before she knew it though, that wasn't enough for him (though it was more than enough for her) and he was pulling everything off. Taking everything off. And it all felt too fast and too rushed and she didn't even get a chance to tell him-

But then he knew. And then he was groaning while she only shut her eyes, trying to figure out how she had been so foolish, while he only mumbled a, "Didn't know," in her ear with a soft moan. Not that it changed anything. He was getting what he'd come for, after all.

Then it was over and she was laying there and there had been some blood and Bickslow was mumbling something before leaving the room, leaving her alone, and suddenly being an adult wasn't so much fun. The wine was catching up to her though and her head was spinning and then he was coming back and she just…she wanted to go to sleep.

So she did.

Now though, as she sat there next to Bickslow, she felt a blush creep back to her cheeks. Breakfast. Mira usually made her breakfast. When she was home. And though there was a chance she was with Laxus and wasn't home to know that Lisanna had stayed out all night, there was also a chance that they'd gotten into a fight or that they'd just decided to go back to Mira's place and they both were out looking for her. The thought made her stomach hurt.

"Breakfast sounds good," she said slowly, making Bickslow grin. Then he tumbled out of bed with a laugh.

"Great. You can, uh, you know, shower first though. If you wanna."

She blushed deeply at the suggestion. He was right though. She felt…icky. And a nice shower would fix that.

"Yeah, I do," she said slowly, moving to get out of bed as well. There was an awkward moment then, as she was still completely nude, but Bickslow was just going over to his closet to pull on some clothes. With a blush, Lisanna gathered up all her own articles of clothing before rushing from the room to find his bathroom.

"Lisanna," his babies cheered from their spot waiting outside the door. Then they gasped. "Naked Lisanna."

Her blush was at it's deepest then as Bickslow only stuck his head out of the bedroom door and growl, "Behave!" at his dolls.

Lisanna found that the bathroom was just as disgusting as the rest off the house. It was clear that Bickslow must not have had a lot of female visitors. Lisanna was certain that there was no way Evergreen would ever step foot in there with it in such a state.

Still though, she needed a shower. Badly. All of her felt dirty and she knew there was no way she'd get dressed feeling the way she did in that moment.

His shampoo smelt nice though and, before she knew it, she was massaging some into her scalp. She knew that it would be a tip off then, to anyone with heightened senses, that she'd been around Bickslow, but she didn't care. Not really. That feeling of being an adult was swarming her body again and she was invincible.

"Hey, Lisanna?" There was a knock against the door. "Me and the babies are ready when you are."

"I'll be out in a minute," she called out, a grin find its way back onto her face. Breakfast. With Bickslow. With a man. A man who she'd slept with.

She'd never felt more mature in her life.

When she got out of the bathroom, Bickslow was waiting, all dressed in his normal getup. She was slightly disappointed, as she rather liked looking at his face, but he was very attractive all the same.

"Clothed Lisanna," his babies crooned then making Bickslow snap at them again. She only giggled though, running her fingers through her hair.

"You ready?" she asked softly. Bickslow only nodded then. Lisanna took one last look around his apartment then, as in that moment she was almost sure that she wouldn't see it again. Now that she'd done it, she'd lost it, she was going to be a real woman about these things. She'd have her taste of all sorts of men. She'd be experienced. Worldly. And wouldn't Natsu be jealous then? As he watched her flaunt around with whoever she pleased?

For such a fit man, Bickslow ate a lot. Or so she observed the night before when he downed triple the amount of food as her and the next morning when he ordered a five egg omelet, pancakes, some sausage and bacon, as well as a glass of orange juice.

"Get whatever you want, kid," he told her. "I got you covered."

"Got you covered," his babies mimicked while she only giggled. She had never noticed before how, never needed to, just how nice Bickslow was. She'd been told before, by the others, that while she was in Edolas, he tried with the rest of the Thunder God Tribe to take over the guildhall at Laxus' command, but at that moment, she just couldn't see it. He was such a great guy.

So maybe her first time hadn't been how she imagined it. No flowers, no candles, and no soft murmurs of love. And certainly no Natsu. But it had been nice. Real nice. And just because it wasn't perfect, that didn't mean it wasn't good. Now she was nearly certain her and Bickslow were even friends! So it all hadn't been a loss.

The next guy she slept with though, she just knew there'd be candles and soft promises and pledges of unwavering love for one another. Because at the moment, she'd settle for fast food, blood, and a few sausage links.

* * *

"Laxus," Bickslow called as he rushed over. "I have a prob-"

"See that, Bickslow?" Laxus wasn't looking at him as he sat at the table, headphone in, downing a glass of beer while staring across the room at his girlfriend. She was at the moment talking loudly to Cana who was slowly working her way into a stupor. "That sexy woman over there? Yeah. Went home with me last night."

"That's great, Laxus, but-"

"Fucked her all night," he went on. "Had her all over me. Got a blow out of it too. Because that's just the kinda woman Mirajane is."

"Yeah, alright, but-"

"And then, when we were finished, know what she did?"

"Laxus-"

"She got up, in the middle of the effin' night. Made me something to eat. Because that's just the kinda woman she is."

"La-"

"Watch this." With that, he downed his beer in its entirety. Without even needing him to call out for her, Mirajane somehow just sensed that he was finished with it and came over with the pitcher to refill it.

"Here you go, Laxus," she giggled, giving his cheek a kiss while she was at it. "Need something else?"

"You tonight would be great."

That only got him another kiss and a, "You're so cute," before Mirajane went back to work. Laxus watched her retreat before glancing over at Bickslow with a frown.

"The fuck are you still doing here? Huh? Fuck off." The man made a face at his bodyguard. "Go find Freed or Ever or something. I ain't got time to entertain you."

"I'm not coming for entertainment," he insisted as he took a seat at the table. Laxus gave him a sideway glance before downing some more beer. "Hear me out."

"Two minutes. And you better make this story worth my while," he grumbled as he went back to ogling Mirajane. "I'm waiting."

"Okay, well, see, I'm sure you've run into this problem before, seeing how you are, and I want to know what you think I should do."

"Nice preface. Now get to the point."

Taking a deep breath, Bickslow said, "I might have, you know…popped a cherry and now I'm afraid of-"

"Yours or hers?"

"Laxus-"

"What?" Laxus asked, glancing over at him finally. "She clingy now or something?"

"Well, no, but it was just last night," he said then, speaking quickly. "And I want to be prepped in for it, you know, when it happens. I've never taken a girl's… This is my first time being a first."

Grunt. Laxus was hardly listening. Mirajane was waving over at him then, as she had felt his eyes and he was trying hard to look like he was happy that she was acknowledging him.

"Just avoid her," Laxus grumbled to Bickslow then. He wanted to get rid of him. "What was she? Some whore in a bar? Just don't call again. Eventually she'll lose inter-"

"It's not that easy."

"What do you mean?" Looking at him then, Laxus said, "Someone you know?"

"Someone that's part of this guild," Bickslow told him then in a hushed tone.

"Really now? A virgin, huh?" Laxus sat up taller then, looking around. "Who was it?"

"Laxus-"

"Most the women here ain't that pure, so it knocks all the hot ones off. Not Cana or Erza. And I know there's no way that Laki-"

"Stop it, Laxus."

Then he noticed something. Bickslow's little dolls weren't fluttering around their heads. Instead they were over at the table with the Salamander, hanging around him and his stupid little blonde bimbo.

"Oh, I get it not," he said before laughing. "You fucked the celestial wizard, huh?"

"Laxus, you don't-"

"Good choice. The little Salamander know you boned his woman though?"

"You really don't-"

"I mean, I'd have fucked that. Look at her. That's just pure-"

"It wasn't Lucy, okay?" he finally yelled at the other man, being a tad too loud for the setting. Not to mention it was the great Laxus that he was yelling at. Blinking, Laxus looked hard at him then.

"Then who's left? Who else was a virgin? 'cause I know Gajeel's banging that flat-chested one. And that weepy water mage is all hung up on Gray. So who's left? Kinana? I doubt it."

"Laxus-"

"Who's left?" He scanned around again. It was then that it dawned on him that it wasn't the blonde girl the enchanted dolls were hanging around. No, it was another girl at the table. His grin fell then as he repeated the question. "Who's left?"

"You really don't-"

And then he slugged him, right in the face. In fact, a little harder and he'd have dented the visor covering Bickslow's face. Regardless, it made the other man tumbled out of his chair and onto the ground. Standing, Laxus only glared down at him, the alcohol clouding his judgment.

He'd kill him. He'd wring his scrawny little neck and then he'd zap every single one of those damn 'babies'. Someone would pay for this. Bickslow would pay for this. He would-

"Laxus!" Mirajane was leaning against the bar then, palms pressed against the surface as she glared over at him. "Behave!"

Grunt. Glancing back down at Bickslow, he found the other guy just laying there, staring up at him. The dolls were rushing over then, whining about their papa's big fall.

"This ain't over," he told the man in a low growl before turning to walk away. Freed and Evergreen were rushing over then to check on Bickslow, but Laxus only left them behind, instead turning to walk over to the Salamander's table.

"What's the big idea, Laxus? Huh? Fighting him when I'm totally here, just waiting for a go," Natsu yelled, jumping up. Lisanna though only sat there at the table, stone faced as she refused to look at her sister's boyfriend.

"Fuck off, Salamander."

"I-"

"Now," he growled. Lucy jumped up and took Natsu's arm before dragging him away.

"Come on, Natsu," she said. "Let's just, uh, you know, leave the big scary man alone. Sound good?"

After they were gone, Laxus only stood there for a moment, across from Lisanna, staring down at her. Then, slowly, he took a deep breath before going to sit next to her at the table. Then it was just the two of them, not talking. When he took his headphones off though and sat them on the table, Lisanna knew she was in trouble.

"Laxus-" she started, but he cut her off by beginning to pat her on the head. Frowning, Lisanna glanced up at his face. Laxus wouldn't look at her though. Only kept staring straight ahead.

"I won't tell your sister or brother," he told her softly after a moment. He was done with patting her on the shoulder and had gone back to his headphones. Lifting them up, he moved to latch them on his ears again. "But I am not a very gracious man. You get a free pass this time. Next time though, I'm going to kill the guy. Alright?"

"I'm not a baby," she said then, but it was nearly inaudible. Laxus only sneered then before patting her on the head again, gently.

"Don't care if you are, kid. You're Mira's little sister though and that means that guys like Bickslow? They go through me before they get to you. Remember that from now on, huh?"

With that, he stood up and walked away before out of the guild. The second he was gone, Natsu and Lucy rushed back over to the table.

"What was his problem?" Lucy asked as Lisanna only shook her head.

"He try to hurt you, Lisanna?" Natsu asked, flexing then as Lucy rolled her eyes. "'cause I was gonna come over here and defend you, but Lucy-"

"He clearly wasn't hurting her, idiot!"

"I'm okay, guys," she said, grinning at her two friends then. "Really."

"Lisanna." Mira was over to them then, though her eyes were still on the guildhall doors, which her boyfriend just walked out of. "What was that about?"

"I-I dunno," Lisanna said, glancing up at her older sister. It was good in theory, rebelling against Mirajane and having sex and doing other adult things just to get back at her, but in practice, Lisanna's fear of the woman killed it. "You know that Laxus is weird."

"Yeah, but I've never seen him attack his own bodyguards before," Lucy said then as she glanced over her shoulder at Bickslow. "Hope he's okay?"

"I'm sure he's fine." Natsu pounded his fists against each other. "I'm next though! Me and Laxus. You all heard it here from me first."

"Yeah, next to get pummeled," Lucy remarked dryly. Mirajane only giggled into her hand before looking down at her younger sister.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked again to which Lisanna only nodded. She was fine. At the moment. A new problem had just popped up in her life though and it went by the name of Laxus.

Who knew he could be so protective?

 


	2. Chapter 2

  


"So, you never did tell me what was up with you at the guild today."

Laxus only grunted then, watching as Mirajane went around his kitchen, fixing him dinner. It was nearly midnight, but he hadn't eaten because, well, he just didn't make himself food anymore. Why should he when Mirajane gladly would the second she got off work?

"I mean, Laxus, it's not every day that you fight with one of your best friends."

That got a blink. Then, slowly, he crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't have friends, Mirajane."

"Of course you do," she giggled, glancing over her shoulder at him. "You have me and Elfman and Lisanna and Freed and Evergreen and Bickslow-"

"Stop talking. Now."

"You're so cute," she giggled from over by the stove. He only shifted in his chair to rest his head against the kitchen table before grunting. More giggles.

"You don't have to tell me, I don't guess, Laxus, if you don't wanna," she was going on then. "Friendships are so hard, you know? And if you and Bickslow are going through a rough patch-"

"Please, Mira. Just be quiet."

"Fine, we won't talk about it," she conceded. "Ooh, you know what though?"

She sounded excited. Great.

"Elfman told me that last night, when he got home from being out with Evergreen- Although, he says he wasn't with her, I can just tell-"

"Mira, the story," he grumbled. Not that he cared, but if she was going to tell him something, he at least wanted her to tell him one thing at a freaking time.

"Oh, sorry," she giggled before continuing. "Anyways, Elfman says that when he got home, that Lisanna wasn't there. And you know what? Today, at the guildhall, she was totally wearing the same thing as yesterday. So you know what that means."

He paled slightly, lifting his head to stare at her. She seemed to be taking it well, but he knew sometimes Mira's outer looks contradicted her inner feelings.

"M-Mira," he tried, fearful that she was about to go off about her sister's previous night. Instead, she only cut him off with a loud giggle.

"I think she was sneaking out with Natsu and Lucy," she said then through a laugh. Laxus blinked. Then he relaxed with a sigh. "The three of them are always getting into trouble. I wonder what they did though? Because I didn't see Happy today, but I think he and Carla went to visit the other Exceeds, so I guess that means Natsu was free to do whatever."

Grunt. The last thing Laxus cared about was the stupid Salamander.

"I just find it so nice, you know? That all three of them can get along so well. I know that at times Lisanna finds herself feeling left out or Lucy does, but-"

"Mirajane," he grumbled as his head fell back to the table. "Be quiet and cook."

"Don't be rude, Laxus," she ordered then with a frown. "I mean it."

Ugh.

"Are you at least gonna stay the night?" he asked then with a frown. "Or are you leaving after this?"

"Well, I was going to stay, but I'm wondering if I should go home to check on Lisanna. I mean, it's cute right now that she's sneaking out, but that's only because she's with Natsu and Lucy. If I found out that she was with someone else-"

"I'm sure, Mira, that she won't sneak out two nights in a row. Besides, she's not a little kid. She can do whatever she wants."

"She might not be a kid, Laxus, but she is my little sister. And that means-"

"You have to let go some time."

"Since when are you such an advocate for Lisanna anyhow?" Mirajane glanced over at him. "Something I should know?"

"No," he grumbled then. "Of course not. I'm only trying-"

"Well stop trying," she told him then. "Honestly, Laxus. Besides, your dinner's done."

That ended his interest in Lisanna as Mirajane slid a plate in front of him. After cleaning up some, she came to take her rightful place in his lap. They always shared a plate, though she rarely ate much. Not that he was complaining. More for him.

"I just care about Lisanna, Laxus," Mirajane said as one point as she sat with one arm wrapped around his neck, not realizing that she was only succeeding in disturbing his eating. Not that he was going to make her get up. No way. She'd just made him all that delicious food, after all. "That's all."

"I know," he told her as he pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek. Mirajane batted at him for it, but he only grinned. "We gotta look out for her. I ain't saying we don't. But sometimes you gotta let her do her own thing too, you know? And if she gets too crazy, I'm sure you and Elfman'll bring her back down to base."

"You too, huh?" Mirajane asked to which he only grunted. "You're so cute when you're bashful."

"You're about to get kicked out, woman."

His cheek got a kiss that time. "I love you, Laxus."

"Yeah, yeah."

As they were busy at Laxus' apartment, Lisanna was finding herself just as busy, in a completely different way.

"I can't believe that Lucy passed up on ice cream," Natsu said as they walked down the road from the closed shop.

"She didn't pass up, Natsu. She told you that there was no way it was still opened and that she wasn't going to waste her time proving it to you," Lisanna told him with a slight frown. "But I was foolish enough to walk the whole way down here with you, just to prove a point."

"Ah. But you won, didn't you? Seeing as the place is closed for the night?"

"Yeah, but I don't feel any better about it."

"The taste of victory wasn't worth it?"

"I would have far preferred the taste of ice cream."

"Nah," Natsu said. "No way. I would have rather had victory and ice cream!"

"Natsu, that wasn't a choice," Lisanna told him with a frown. "Not for me, anyhow."

He only grunted then, scratching the back of his head as they headed back the way they had come. "So are we going back to Lucy's place or what? 'cause without my little buddy around, I'm kind lost."

"Yeah, hey, when is Happy getting back?" Lisanna asked, glancing at him.

"Tomorrow, supposedly. I hope. But he and Carla may-"

"Ah, you two," a voice said from behind them suddenly. "See, Bickslow? I told you it was them."

Glancing behind themselves then, Lisanna and Natsu were met with the green haired mage and his counterpart. Bickslow had his hand up, rubbing the back of his helmet then as Lisanna blushed slightly.

"Hey, it's you guys," Natsu greeted, falling back then to walk with them. "Did you know that the ice cream shop was closed?"

"Well," Freed said slowly. "It is past midnight, Natsu. I assume most things are closed."

"Except legs," the dragon slayer announced proudly.

Choking then, Freed got out a, "What?"

"I dunno. Gray says that sometimes, but-"

"Well, I implore you never to say it again."

"Hey, man. I don't wanna blow up!"

"I said implore, Natsu. Not implode."

Lisanna had somehow found herself on the other side of Bickslow then, who was racking his brain to find something to say. He had nothing though. Honestly, the only thing in his brain was-

"Are you two on a date or something?"

-slipping out of his mouth.

"Huh?" Lisanna glanced up at him, her blush only growing.

"Or something?" the dolls insisted as they floated around their master's head.

"N-No," she said then, looking towards Natsu. He was arguing with Freed though about whether the other mage had just put some sort of curse on him that would make him explode as Freed attempted to explain, to begin with, the difference between implode and explode as well as the fact that he had never said such a thing to begin with.

"Then what are you doing around here? In the middle of the night? With some…boy?"

"Why do you care?" she asked, looking off then.

"Why do you care?" his babies asked. Bickslow was growing impatient with them then.

"Does she look like your master? Huh? Stop repeating her!"

"Daddy," they whined as they flew around, fearful that he was upset with them.

"Natsu and I are just friends," Lisanna was telling Bickslow then, softly. "He and Lucy are…dating."

"Oh, really?" He still had a funny feeling in his stomach. Almost…possessive. And he thought she was supposed to be the clingy one. "And she's fine with you and him roaming around Magnolia in the middle off the night."

"Of course. I told you, we're just friends."

Bickslow grunted then, looking off.

"So anyways, guys," Natsu announced loudly when it was clear that Freed was getting nowhere with him. "Anyone else hungry?"

That's how they ended up at the only open place serving food in Magnolia other than bars. It was probably the greasiest, cheapest stuff around, but given the time of night, no one complained.

Just like the other times they ate together, Bickslow had to have ordered half the menu. And he put it all away without any fear.

"You're gonna balloon up like Droy," Freed told him with a frown. He only shook his head though.

"Nah. Not me." Bickslow patted his stomach. "I have the workout regimen of a beast. No one can keep up with me."

"Except maybe Laxus," Freed said, faithful as always.

Bickslow paused at that and Lisanna blushed, looking down at the table they were seated at. Natsu even paused his eating just to speak.

"Yeah, hey, what'd you do to piss him off so much, huh?" Natsu asked. Then, pounding his fists together, he said, "Maybe I should do it! If it's the only way to get him to fight me, I'll do it a thousand times! I gotta beat him at least once in all that."

Lisanna's face as on fire then while Bickslow only turned his nose up.

"Classified, kid. Besides," he added then. "You couldn't handle Laxus angry. Trust me."

"Trust him," his babies pleaded, though they were circling around Lisanna then, making her even more uncomfortable.

When the meal was finally finished, Bickslow was shocked when Natsu didn't even offer to pay for Lisanna.

" _Maybe they are just friends_ ," he thought to himself with a slight frown. Just as quickly, however, he covered her half of the bill without fail. He thought that it would win him some points (though he still didn't understand why he wanted them), but the second they were out of the rundown place, she unleashed on him.

"I don't need you to pay for me," she complained softly to him as Natsu began to argue with Freed over whether or not he could beat Laxus. Natsu was insistent that, should they battle a thousand times, he would probably win all of the matches. Of course Freed knew that Natsu was an idiot and that arguing with him for the most part was futile, but he couldn't help it.

"I was just-"

"I'm not stupid, Bickslow," she went on, not even letting him defend himself. "You don't have to pay me off or whatever. I get it. I'm sure you do that all the time."

"Do what all the time?"

"You know.  _That_ ," she said, glancing up at him. "With a bunch of women or whatever. I'm not stupid. I don't, like, think that we're together or am in love with you. I'm not a little kid!"

"I never said you were, ki- err, Lisanna." He scratched the back of his head. "If I thought you were, I would have never even bothered with you."

She only crossed her arms then. "And I'm…sorry that Laxus did that to you. I didn't think-"

"He just cares about you. Your sister too. So stop giving everyone such a hard time about you not being a kid. It's good to have people that care about you."

"People care about you," his babies assured her. Lisanna only shook her head though, looking off.

"Whatever."

"Hey, Lisanna," Natsu spoke up then, glancing back at her, as she and Bickslow had fallen behind him and Freed. "You coming back with me to Lucy's or what?"

"No," she said slowly then. "I think I'll just head home myself."

"Cool." He took off into a sprint then, leaving them all behind. "See you guys around!"

Then there were three. Freed, being the gentleman he was, immediately addressed Lisanna.

"Do you wish for us to walk you home?" he asked her to which she began to just tell him no. Bickslow, however, had other plans.

"I got it, Freed," he said then. "You can head off by yourself. She and I live in the same direction."

"Hn." Freed nodded then to Lisanna. "It was nice seeing you. And I shall meet with you tomorrow, Bickslow. Perhaps even you and Laxus might make up by then."

Once it was just the two of them and his babies, Lisanna turned away from Bickslow.

"I could walk myself home, thank you very much. And I am not going home with you again, so don't ask."

"You sure are different from last night," he remarked then, rubbing at his chin. "Or are you embarrassed? Is that it?"

"Is that it?" his babies asked making her glare at them, though she immediately felt foolish for doing so.

"No," she hissed. "I am not. Why would I be?"

"I dunno. You did sort of bleed on my sheets, kid."

All the blood at that moment was actually rushing far away from there and to her face instead.

"Stop talking about it!"

"Calm down." He huffed slightly then as she glared over at him. "You know, this is exactly what I was afraid of."

"What are you-"

"You're acting so clingy and immature. I mean-"

"You're the one that sought me out," she raved then before moving to strike him. He let her, as it was probably the cutest blow to his chest he'd ever received. "Just leave me alone then!"

When she tried to run off, he only sighed and let her. It was never his intention to become a babysitter anyhow.

"Lisanna?" his babies asked softly, floating even closer to him. He only shook his head though.

"Forget about her," he told them with a sigh. "Just forget about her."

* * *

It was hard though, as it turned out, to forget Lisanna. Even a week after the whole event and smoothing things over with Laxus, Bickslow still found his eyes drawn to her everyday in the guildhall. It was hard not to, honestly. She always hung around with Natsu and Lucy, who couldn't draw more attention to themselves if they were striped with red polka dots.

Still though, it was nothing more than casual observance until the following week when Natsu and Lucy decided to go on a mission together, just the two of them and Happy. Even Erza and Gray wouldn't be joining them.

"Like the old days," Lucy had laughed to which Natsu and Happy agreed with a giggle. Lisanna, however, after they were gone, only sat at their usual table, frowning down at it.

"Lisanna's sad," Bickslow's babies announced to him as he sat at a table alone as well. That was more due to the fact that Freed was off training and Evergreen was sneaking around (unsuccessfully) with Elfman. He was pretty lonely too.

"And?" he grumbled. "What's that got to do with me? She said to leave her alone, so we're leaving her alone, remember? We weren't ever friends to begin with. Just both drunk. That's all."

At the same moment he was explaining to his babies that, no, Lisanna would not be spending the night again ever, Laxus was over at the bar, making an explanation of his own.

"-shed, eat too much, they poop, they pee, they-"

"But Laxus," Mirajane insisted. "They're so cute! And you could be their daddy and I could be their mommy."

"No, Mirajane. No cats."

"But kitties are just so-"

"No."

She pouted then as she stood on the other side of the bar from him before saying, "What about a pet bird then?"

"No. Are those even real? Who would want a bird as a pet?"

"Me," she said. "Or, ooh, let's get a dog!"

"No," he told her louder then. " _We_  are not getting anything together. But if you want a pet, you're welcome to have one. It won't ever be coming over to my apartment though. Ever. I mean it."

"Oh, Laxus, you're a deadbeat daddy already and we haven't even gotten the kittens yet."

That was the wrong thing to say to him, however, as he immediately checked out of the conversation, turning his music up louder to block her out. That was usually his way of telling Mirajane to back off and, realizing this, she just gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting back to work.

It was after a few minutes that Laxus stood before reaching into his pocket and pulling out enough jewels for his tab and then some. Tossing it all down on the counter, he made eye contact with Kinana then, just to glare at her, so she'd be sure not to pick up Mirajane's tip. She was the only one he ever did leave any extra cash for, which was rather silly considering she had free reign of all his money. Or at least she thought she did.

But there was no way in hell that Laxus Dreyar was buying a damn pet. Ever. So there.

…And even if he did, there was no way she'd ever wear him down enough to start referring to himself as the animal's… _daddy_. Or anything of the sort. Pets were pets. They were good for entertainment for young children and simple minded people (he loved her, but Mira probably fit into both categories), but nothing else.

Oh who was he kidding? He'd probably end of with a zoo's worth of animals that he was the 'daddy' too.

"What the fuck is the point of having you guys if you're never effing around when I need you?" Laxus grumbled as he went over to Bickslow's table. The man was in shock for a moment and took his eyes away from Lisanna, as if caught, before realizing that Laxus hadn't noticed the staring. He was just his normal testy self.

"Don't let Freed hear that," Bickslow joked weakly, still not so sure where he stood with the man he admired so. "He'll never leave your side."

"That's your fucking purpose," Laxus growled, though he didn't seem to care that much. "Anyhow, I suppose it's good he's not around. He'd insist on going with me tomorrow, once he found out that-"

"You're leaving?" Bickslow tried not to sound excited, but Laxus only shrugged, not noticing. "For a job or for personal reasons?"

"What difference does it effing make?" With that, Laxus turned to walk away. "Anyhow, I'll be gone tomorrow. So if Freed or Ever are wondering, you tell them."

"Sure you don't want us to accompany you?" Bickslow asked, but it only got him the finger. Alrighty then. "See you, boss."

"Bye, boss," the babies crooned out. Another finger. Then, suddenly, Laxus stopped. After glancing over at Lisanna, he looked back to his bodyguard.

"You stay the hell away from her while I'm gone. Got it? She's not one of these other whores that float around here. She's Mira's sister. Understood?"

Bickslow was too shocked to say anything which Laxus took as a good thing before walking off. Then the helmeted man was left with his own thoughts.

"Stay away from her, huh?" he mumbled after Laxus was long gone. He was staring at Lisanna once more, who was only laying with her head down on the table, clearly moping.

"Stay away," the dolls reiterated for him.

Lisanna, who felt eyes on her, glanced up, but by that point, Bickslow as busy with something else. Instead, she glanced up at the bar, where her sister was standing as she stared at her.

"Come here, Lisanna," Mirajane called with a giggle, waving her over. Slowly, she got to her feet before walking over there.

"What's up, sis?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat.

"I just wanted to be sure that you remember that-"

"Yes, yes, I know. I need to cover for you while you and Laxus are on your vacation."

Mirajane giggled. "I just don't want poor Kinana getting over worked, you know?"

Lisanna wanted to be annoyed with her older sister as she stood across the bar from her, but it was hard to muster up. Of course the resentment of Laxus was there as he once again, won out on the attention of Mirajane. It wasn't that Lisanna was petty or anything, but she did feel as if Mira was slowly spending more time with him and a lot less than her. It was much the same with Natsu. Sure, he and Lucy still would hangout with her a lot, but not nearly as much as before. Things were changing and she was being left behind in the dust.

It was almost like they liked it better when they thought she was dead and didn't have to factor her into their lives. Or perhaps they were just so used to time without her that they were having a rough time adding her back in, even years out.

Still though, Lisanna knew of no one that worked as hard as Mira. She was constantly doing stuff up at the bar as well as just around the entire guild grounds. She even cleaned the pool sometimes, when need be. And she did it all with a big grin plastered on her face, as if she enjoyed ever second of it. Perhaps she did. But that didn't mean that she didn't deserve a break some times.

And if she wanted to spend that break at some resort with Laxus instead of her baby sister, could Lisanna really blame her? She wished that she had a boyfriend that was willing to drop jewels on her like it was nothing, that would whisk her away to all sorts of places just for fun.

After Mirajane was done with her, Lisanna went back to moping over at her table. It would be a long next few days without her big sister. And with Elfman spending all his time with Evergreen, she had a feeling that she wouldn't be seeing much of him. And who knew when Natsu and Lucy would be back?

"Cheer up, kid."

Glancing up, she found Cana had come to sit with her, a barrel of alcohol with her.

"The world isn't that bleak, is it?"

Lisanna made a face. "What has you so happy? Or are you just drunk?"

"Drunk, happy, what's the difference?"

Rolling her eyes, Lisanna laid her head back down with a sigh. A long few days.

"Hey, Bickslow," Mirajane greeted him some time later that night. The man was in shock to find her making her way over to his table and feared the worst, glancing around for the she-demon's baby sister. "Have you seen Laxus?"

That was all? Relaxing then, Bickslow said, "Not since he left. Said something about going somewhere tomorrow though, so-"

"Out of town. Right. He and I are going to a resort for a few days. Like a little vacation," Mirajane told him with a giggle as she came to take a seat at his table. Even Bickslow's dolls seemed a tad tense. "Oops. I'm sure I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Laxus still gets all silly when I tell people about our relationship."

"Well," Bickslow said uneasily. "You do tend to go around announcing to everyone every single time he buys you a gift or tells you that he loves you. I could see how that could get annoying."

Mirajane blinked then, in a very truthful voice, said, "I don't."

"I know, Mira. We all know."

She paused for a moment before shaking her head and saying, "Well, anyhow, I just wanted to ask you a favor."

"What's up?" he asked. "Need something serious?"

"Something serious?" his babies asked hopefully. They had been rather bored as of late.

"No," Mirajane giggled. "Nothing like that. It's just…you're Laxus' bodyguard, I know, but with him being out of town, I was wondering if you could do something for me. Nothing big. Just look out for my sister for me, huh?"

"Y-Your sister?" he repeated. That uneasy feeling that had dissipated was building once more. What was Mira up to?

"Mmmhmm," she said, nodding her head before glancing over her shoulder at the aforementioned girl. At the moment she was speaking with Laki and Levy, but Mirajane knew she wasn't happy even still. "She's been really depressed recently. About Natsu and Lucy mostly, but I think she's feeling neglected from me and Elfman too. Have you noticed?"

Had he'd noticed? It single handedly had gotten him laid!

"I don't pay much attention to her, I find," he said slowly. Mira only nodded her head.

"Well, I just feel bad, leaving her here alone. And I thought if you had nothing to do, you could just look in on her some? Please?" Mira tilted her head to the side, as if pleading with him. "I would ask Evergreen, but I think she'd just use it as an excuse to spend more time with my brother. And Erza's out of town on a solo mission, so-"

"Of course, Mirajane," he said then though his heart was still pattering a little faster than usual. "Anything for you."

"Anything for you," his dolls cheered making her giggle some more.

"Thanks, Bickslow." With that, she jumped up to get back to work. "You didn't need anything, did you? Another beer, perhaps?"

"Ah, no," he said with a slight laugh. "I'm fine. Believe me."

"Well, thanks again. And don't tell anyone about Laxus and my little vacation, I guess, if he's keeping it a secret."

"Will do. Err, won't do."

More giggles. Honestly, he didn't know how Laxus put up with it.

"Well crap, babies," he mumbled after she was gone. "Looks like we're not done with Lisanna just yet."

"Lisanna," they sighed. "Naked Lisanna."

"I said to stop saying that!" He huffed slightly. "Can't tell you kids anything."

 


	3. Chapter 3

  


"I love you. I love you so much. So very, very much."

That was the last thing Mirajane said to Lisanna before she left their home that morning, Laxus in tow.

"And Laxus loves you too. He's just too macho to say it," Mirajane added as her boyfriend drug her out the door.

"Train to catch, Mira."

"Don't be in such a rush to get motion sickness, dragon boy."

"Mira-"

"Bye, Lisanna," she called one last time. "Love you. And remember; behave!"

Then she was left alone, to get ready for work.

And work she did. It felt like everyone was around that day. And though she and Kinana worked their butts off, they were no Mirajane. Even combined they didn't match her attitude nor work drive. She was just made to be a barmaid and they weren't. Then again, considering one was a snake and the other should be dead, that shouldn't have been too surprising.

Work dragged on endlessly, it felt like. They were slow after the dinner rush though and Lisanna told Kinana that she could just go.

"You sure, Lisanna?" the other woman had asked. "I really have nothing to do. I can stay and help you close up if you-"

"No," she sighed. "You deserve a break just as much as Mirajane."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"I would." The takeover mage smiled at her friend. "So go take one."

Lisanna never imagined, however, on her first day closing up that she wouldn't be alone in the bar.

There was Cana, of course, who was plastered out of her mind, but Lisanna only woke her up and had one of the guys help her off to her apartment as she insisted that she was not drunk. Just a little buzzed.

After that though, there really was no one else around. Everyone just cleared out without a problem.

All except for one person.

"I'm closing up, Bickslow," she told him as she went around, putting chairs atop their tables. "You have to get out."

"Just sticking around to help, Lisanna," he told her, sticking out his tongue then as he rushed to help her out. "You know. Be a gentleman. Lady up here, in an empty guild all by herself, why-"

"I don't want your help," she told him rather gruffly. "So-"

"Don't be like that," he said, giving her a look.

"Don't be like that," his babies agreed.

"You know that this is the last thing that either of us wants. For us to be all, you know, awkward around each other or whatever." He shrugged slightly. "Ruin the friendship."

"The friendship," his dolls insisted. Lisanna only made a face at him.

"What friendship?" she questioned. "We were never friends. At all. We've never been enemies, but-"

"Lisanna, come on." He lifted up his visor then to look at her. "What did I ever do to you then, that made you hate me?"

Those words made her stop, though she only turned to look at him. "I never said I hate you. I just-"

"Are you upset then? That we…that we had sex?" He was coming closer then and she didn't know if she liked that. "Or that I, you know, took it?"

She blinked. He was right next to her then, clearly concerned. His babies were fluttering around as well, repeating, "He took it, Lisanna."

Then the blushing started and Bickslow yelled at his babies. That only succeeded in upsetting them though, which he never wanted.

"I'm sorry, babies," he said, his attention shifting from her then as he turned to hold open his arms. "Come give your papa a hug, huh?"

"Daddy!" They all cheered as they rushed to hit against his chest and let him wrap his arms around them all at once. Lisanna was still leaning up against a table then, just watching. At the sight of that though, she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her shut lips.

Bickslow heard it though and turned to glance at her. She had a hand up to her mouth then, as if trying to stop herself from laughing, but it was too late anyhow. He had heard and seen. Slowly, he released his dolls who went over to Lisanna.

"Apologize," Bickslow said then, to his children who immediately began to float around her.

"Sorry, Lisanna," they crooned. "Sorry."

More giggles. Then, she said, "It's okay…um…guys?"

He only grinned at her. "They're just souls is all. Gender's irrelevant."

"Hmmm." They were on even ground then as she looked curiously up at his dolls. She had just always taken them for what they were without questioning it, but so long as they were talking about them anyhow…well…she doubted a chance would ever present itself to discuss them again. "Then do you control them?"

"Of course I do."

"Then how come they say stuff you don't want them to? Like just now?"

"I could control everything about them, if I wanted. Like I do in battle, just continuously, but that wouldn't be any fun. Then they wouldn't be my babies. They'd be my slaves. And I don't want that."

For a moment or two, they were both just grinning at one another. Then his babies had to ruin it by saying loudly, "Naked Lisanna!"

"Hey," Bickslow growled. "Didn't we just go over this?"

Lisanna was laughing then, but she was blushing too. It was weird. She wasn't embarrassed, but she wasn't exactly easy going right then either. As she rubbed the back of her neck, watching them, she didn't know what to think.

She didn't know then either when, after finishing closing up, she found herself walking out of the guild with Bickslow. Neither was speaking, not really, more or less just ambling along. Eventually, he said,

"I'd take you out to dinner again, but my wallet's back at my place."

"You don't have to take me out to eat every time we see each other, Bickslow."

He let out a slow breath then. See each other. Was that what they were doing?

"Well, truth be told, you're just kinda a tagalong," he admitted then. "I'd go out and eat with or without someone, honestly."

"Honestly," his babies told her.

"But you're good company."

"Good company."

She didn't know what to say then, only glanced up at his babies before over at him. After a moment, she said, "I think I've been pretty crappy to you the past few weeks."

"Don't mention it, kid," he said, grinning over her. "Trust me, you're not the first woman not to want me around when she sobers up."

"Bickslow," she said softly then. "It wasn't that. I only-"

"I said not to worry about it, huh? It's over. Done with. Seriously." He grinned at her then, sticking his marked tongue out while he was at it. "Why focus on a bad yesterday when there's a great tomorrow just around the corner?"

She couldn't help it then as she said, "You sound like Natsu."

And that brought Bickslow right back down. Looking off then, he let his grin fall.

"What's up with you and him anyhow? Huh?"

"W-What?"

Bickslow kicked at the ground as his babies repeated his, "Huh?"

"Nothing," he grumbled. "It's just…nothing."

Now her mood was back to a zero. Part of her wanted to tell Bickslow off, that he had no business judging her or her relationship with Natsu, but the other half was begging her to explain to him that there was nothing up with them. At all. And that she wasn't even that into him anymore, so it wasn't anything to get so worked up about.

Silence won out.

Eventually, Bickslow found a way to break it.

"So," he said slowly. "Am I taking you home or what?"

"You're not taking me anywhere," she told him, not sure if she was even still pleased with him or not. "I'm just headed home and you're headed home. That's it."

"Lisanna's home," his babies chanted. Bickslow only hung his head slightly.

"I don't get it, kid. Why you're so uptight with me? If it's not because you're upset that we had sex, then what? Huh? What else could-"

"I'm an adult just like you. Having sex is not that big of a deal to me."

He blinked. Then, pushing up his visor, he glanced down at her. "You sure have a warped opinion on growing up, kid. Is that what you think? How little you view of those around you? We're not just all out here screwing around with each other. I mean, come on."

"You don't know anything about me, so-"

"I know what you're showing me now. One on one. And let me tell you, it's a lot different than that façade you play in front of Mira and your brother." He stopped walking then, turning to look at her. Lisanna could have very easily just continued on without him, but for some reason, she stopped too and faced him, thinking they were about to have it out. A real, nitty-gritty yelling match.

Instead he only leaned down and kissed her. Not how he had been that night when they were both a tad tipsy and had no control of the situation. No, it was just a peck really. And a really awkward one at that, as his visor bumped against her nose and made her flinch back. He took this as a bad sign, thinking it was an unsolicited advance as Laxus' command to stay away from her while he was away played back in Bickslow's head. If she told him, he was-

But then she was reaching out to grab his face, holding it still in front of her so she could lean up on her tiptoes and give him her own kiss. When she pulled back slightly to gage his reaction, all she saw with his growing grin, as his visor was once more covering his eyes.

There were no words between them then. Even his babies had fallen silent as they merely circled overhead, needing no command to know where they were headed.

Bickslow's apartment was the only real answer to the unasked question.

That time, they didn't head straight to his bedroom either. They didn't make it. Instead, they crashed on his couch, him practically over her as she kept one arm strewn over his shoulders while he focused on pulling his helmet off. When they were face to face, finally, Lisanna only giggled at the grin he sported.

"You look nice, Bickslow," she told him then. "Without that helmet. I wish you wouldn't wear it so often."

He decided then that the next time they went somewhere together, which would probably be to breakfast the next morning, he'd go in more civilian like clothes. If only for Lisanna.

Tilting his head forwards, Bickslow rested his forehead on hers as ruby irises clashed with her shiny blues.

But then they were kissing again. That real kissing that Lisanna had only ever seen Mira do. Outside of Bickslow, she had no experience than what she'd witness from her sister and bashful brother as he (kinda) courted Evergreen. But other than that, all she had for reference was that one night they'd spent together and try as she might, she couldn't put herself back into the same mindset. She just couldn't. It was impossible. She'd been drunk that night, or at least close to it, and that persona was one that only alcohol could bring out in her.

"Mmmph," she moaned as she backed away from him eventually. Bickslow only stared though as she shifted on the couch, as if to get away from him. Laxus' words still in his head, he immediately backed off.

"I'm not," Lisanna began slowly, though she paused right after. She wasn't what? She didn't know. Sighing, she said, "I don't want to do that again. With you. Like last time. I'm sorry."

He blinked as he shifted onto the other side of the couch, just watching for a moment. Then, slowly, he said, "Is that why you've been avoiding me? Because you didn't…like having sex with me or something?"

She blushed then. "Not exactly. I only… I thought, when we did, that it would change everything. That I'd, you know, get back at Mirajane and Elfman, but it only… It didn't help anything."

He didn't know what to do with that and took to scratching at his head. "W-Well," he began slowly. "Ever think that maybe it doesn't matter? If anything changes?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, Lisanna, you do things just 'cause you like them." He winked at her then before grinning again. "So-"

"But I didn't like it."

That just kinda tumbled out of her mouth, on accident. At the sound of it though, Bickslow groaned, defeated, turning way from her then to face forwards again.

"Then why did you even come back here? Huh? What-"

"It just…it was uncomfortable," she said slowly, her pale fleshing seemingly forever affixed with the color red. Quickly, she added, "That stuff that we did before though? Before we actually… I really liked that stuff. A lot."

That made him turn his head, staring at her. "Really now?"

"Mmmhmm." Lisanna shifted so that her knees were up on the couch with her and she was facing him. "A lot."

That time when his toothy smile reappeared, she knew that it wouldn't be falling off again.

"Well then, Lisanna," he said as he grinned at her. "You're in luck."

"What do you mean?"

"All you had to do, Lisanna, was say you didn't wanna go all the way." Then he winked. "Trust me, there's plenty of other stuff we can, uh, experiment with."

"Uh," she tried to speak, but nothing came out. And even though her blush probably wouldn't fade the entire night, she did giggle slightly, showing him that she was at least somewhat at ease.

"Experiment," his dolls spoke up then, happily cheering as they realized that Lisanna was probably spending the night. Bickslow frowned at the sound of them, glancing away from her then as he shifted on the couch to get over her.

"Go to bed, babies," he said, pointing towards the bedroom door. "Daddy's busy."

Lisanna turned her head then, watching as they did what he said, though they did groan somewhat. It made her giggle again before glancing back at him.

"See, Lisanna?" He winked again. "All you had to do was say something."

And then he was kissing her again and it was so great and she forgot for a little bit that she totally wasn't supposed to be over at his apartment in the middle of the night. Or that Elfman could get home at an time and find that she wasn't there. And she certainly didn't remember that if Mira found out that she was doing…whatever it was they were doing, that she would certainly punish her.

The last thing she wanted was her big sister hunting her down with one of her demon forms just to wag a finger in her face.

But none of that mattered in that moment and she put it out of her mind. And what Bickslow was doing wasn't helping to bring any of it back any time soon. Just his kisses were enough to shut down her brain. The fact that he was slowly working his hand up between the fabric of her shirt and her flesh was enough to make her lose her mind.

Not that Bickslow seemed to mind. In fact, when all she could do was pant his name or run her fingers through his hair, ruining the stylized blue and black locks, he only moaned in her ear about how good she felt around his fingers. Or when she was completely lost and had no idea what to do for him, he was fine with showing her. He was slowly learning why Laxus liked it when Mirajane giggled so much.

"You're so cute," he whispered to her at one point when she was too shy to touch him, though it was very obvious from the look in her eyes that she wished to. Then, brushing a kiss against her head, he added, "You're a freaking trip."

And Lisanna only hid her embarrassment at times in his chest, not wanting him to see just how pink her skin was becoming. There was only one light on, a lamp off in the corner of the room, but it was far too much for her liking in certain moments.

When it was all over and he was at least some what satisfied (she was actually beyond sated), Bickslow only snuggled up with her on the couch. And even though it stank of beer, fast food, and some sort of cologne, she only cuddled right back into him, not caring if the stench of that filthy couch stuck with her for the rest of her life

It would only serve as a good reminder of that day. As if she could ever forget it.

* * *

When Lisanna awoke that morning to find that she was in complete darkness, the first thing she thought was that something horrible had occurred. Like she was blind. Or worse! Dead. Or something equally as terrible.

Instead, she found that it was just that a thick quilt that had been placed over her head. Pushing it back, she took a quick look around to find a mostly darkened room and a snoozing man next to her.

Bickslow. His tongue was stuck out of his mouth as his head lulled to the side, snores escaping his mouth in the cutest manner ever. His babies had somehow gotten up on the bed with then and were resting against his chest, though they didn't seem to be active currently. She wondered if their magic power diminished when he slept.

She remembered the night before, when they had made it back to his bedroom. He had immediately found her something to sleep in (an old long-sleeved t-shirt) before going to crash on the bed. He had mumbled something about having to train the next day, but she didn't know what he was talking about or referring to. And as it stood at that moment, she didn't have time to find out.

"I have to get to the guildhall before sunrise," she whispered softly, more to the apparently dormant dolls. "Hope your papa doesn't think I ran out on him."

With that, she jumped up and gathered her clothes from the living room before rushing to go get in his shower. Again, she didn't particularly want to brave the desolate-esque setting, but what choice did she have? She would never make it home in time to shower and then get up to the guildhall. And she had made a promise to Mirajane. No reason to give her extra stuff to be upset with her over when she got back.

So she decided to go ahead and shower in his disgusting bathroom once more. And, okay, so the thought of using his wonderful smelling shampoo was also a factor.

While she was in there though, lathering up while humming to herself, the bathroom door opened. That of course made her freeze, hands still buried in her hair as she massaged that shampoo into her scalp. Was…was Bickslow going to join her? Because it was one thing, out there on the couch, but showering together? She might just die of a panic attack.

But he didn't even mess with the shower or call out to her. In fact, when she peeked out from behind the shower curtain, she found that he was over by the sink, already dressed for the day, though for some reason it wasn't his usual attire. Instead he wore a pair of dark jeans with some sort of t-shirt with a logo on it, a long-sleeved undershirt beneath it.

After staring at himself for a moment, Bickslow reached out to pick up a jar sitting on the edge of the sink, knocking the already loose lid off before sticking his hand inside. When he removed it, it was covered in a thick goop that he flung atop his head before beginning to mess with his hair.

" _No wonder my hands got all greasy when I kept touching it last night_ ," Lisanna thought to herself as she closed the curtain once more. How much of that stuff did he use anyhow?

Over at the mirror though, Bickslow was more than aware of Lisanna watching him. No that he minded. At the moment his full focus was going into his hair. If he was actually going out without his helmet, then he was going to need his hair to look perfect. Bickslow wasn't a particularly vain fellow, but he, like most humans, was known to have bouts of it.

"Lisanna," he called out when he was finally finished. "You about done? We need to hurry if we're gonna catch breakfast before the sun comes up."

Breakfast? She frowned slightly. Did she have time for that? She wasn't sure. She did know though that once she started working that day, there was a good chance she wouldn't have a chance to stop for a bite. Sometimes, Mirajane went the whole day without eating if no one reminded her. Lisanna didn't think she could go that long.

"Are you sure we have time, Bickslow?" she called back to him as, after rinsing her hair, she turned off the faucet. "I don't wanna be late."

"Late? Late for what?"

"Work," she said, frowning then as she moved to peel back the curtain, forgetting for a moment that she was completely naked. He was still admiring himself in the mirror anyhow. "I have to be at the guild by sunup. What were you talking about then if not-"

"I'm meeting Freed for a little training session. Nothing better than to start one than a filled belly, ah?" He glanced over at her then, though he only looked into her eyes while still grinning. "I'll get you to work on time, kid. Don't worry about it."

So she didn't. And as they left the house, she found other things to think about. Like how he wasn't wearing his helmet and kept grinning at her. Or how his babies kept calling her name and laughing. Or the fact that it was slightly chilly, but that was okay, because before they left, he'd thought to throw one of his jackets over her shoulders.

Then, slowly, she thought about Elfman. And what he had done when he found that she wasn't home. And she thought about Mirajane, who honestly, she just hoped was enjoying herself with Laxus at their resort and not worrying too much about what was going on back at home. She did have that tendency.

But by that point, Bickslow was talking to her about his plans for training and she chose to hone in on that. He was really being sweet. And part of her was still regretting being such an ass to him for the past few weeks.

It was probably during the middle of their little breakfast that it hit her. They were seated at a little restaurant, one that had only opened minutes ago, Bickslow chowing down with his usual gusto while she only sat there, thinking.

She'd broken her own little personal rule again, practically. Although Bickslow had said it wasn't 'all the way' it was enough to count as sex to the less than a month ago virgin. And there were no flowers, candles, or swears of love her second time either. Just blue hair, soft kisses, and a very, very smelly couch.

Maybe she'd buy him an air freshener or something.

When they got to the guildhall, Bickslow didn't walk her in. He had to get to the train station or something, to meet Freed.

"Maybe I'll come and pick you up after work though," he suggested softly before he turned to leave. "Walk you home again. Would you like that, Lisanna?"

"Would you like that, Lisanna?" his babies asked, clearly wanting to know as well.

"Yeah," she finally whispered after a moment's thought. What did she have to lose at that point? Not her virginity, that was for sure. "Sounds good."

It wasn't until she was in the guildhall, opening up with Kinana that she realized something. She was still wearing Bickslow's jacket! It was obviously not hers, as it was quite a few sizes too large, and the design was clearly a male's. No one said anything, but when Evergreen came into the guild that day, she did raise an eyebrow as she no doubt recognized the article of clothing.

Lisanna wondered at one point if that's what Mirajane felt like, when Laxus would let her wear his big, fuzzy coat or walk around with his headphones in. Maybe, but probably not. Because Mirajane felt loved when Laxus did that. Because he did love her. And she loved him. Lisanna just felt…funny. Almost nervous. Like she was waiting for it to all come crashing down.

But it didn't. In fact, that night Bickslow showed up looking a little beat (no doubt from his workout), but more than ready to take her back to his place. And even though they didn't fool around again that night (there was just no way she could handle that), it still felt…special. And nice. And meaningful.

Maybe, she decided at one point, she'd hold off on that whole 'sleep with tons of guys' garbage that she was throwing around before. Instead, she'd just spend some time hanging out with Bickslow.

Because if anyone could teach her what being an adult was all about, she wanted it to be him. Except for his cleaning habits. No, she definitely wouldn't be picking up on those.

 


	4. Chapter 4

She spent the next few days staying over at Bickslow's. She thought, nee feared, that this would come off as clingy or immature, but he seemed to take to her well enough. In fact, it was usually he who asked her at the end of her shift at the guild if she wanted to come back to his apartment. And his babies were always overjoyed at the thought.

She even brought a few pairs of clothes from her place over to his. And she knew that it was too fast to say that they were doing anything more than dating, but it was nice even still, just to have that.

Hiding it from Elfman was easier than she could have ever imagined. Without Mirajane around, he had taken to staying full time at Ever's place. After checking with Lisanna, of course, to be for certain that she wouldn't need him or anything.

"Big brother, Elf," she had complained when he suggested this. "Why would I ever need you? I'm not a baby. You guys act like I'm a child or something. I'm an adult now."

He only laughed though and hugged the heck out of her. "Of course you are, Lisanna. You've grown so much, even in the past year. I just…I miss the days when you needed me!"

And then he cried and she had to hold him and promise to never leave him behind, that it was the three Strauss siblings till the end.

"You sure are manly," he complimented her with one last bear squeeze.

"Elf," she squeaked out. "I can't breathe."

It was also during those few days, however, that she was suddenly reminded of a very hard fact.

"Hey, Lisanna! We're finally back. You miss us?"

No. That was the first thing that came to mind as Lisanna stared at Lucy and Natsu when the came into the guildhall, Happy fluttering above. He took off for Carla and Wendy though, who were over at a far table, speaking softly with Romeo.

"Natsu," Lisanna said slowly as she stood there, previously having been wiping down the bar. "You're back."

It was a first, honestly. She had never gone so long without thinking about the Salamander. Even when she was in Edolas, intermingled with the prayers to see her true sister and brother again were the pleas to have a final goodbye with her dearest of childhood friends. He usually was all she thought about for the most part.

Except since he left on the trip wit Lucy and Happy a few days previously. Because since that first day he took off, he hadn't crossed her mind once. And that was solely because of one person.

"No thanks to Natsu we are," Lucy complained as she came further into the guildhall, heading over to the bar. "He somehow got on the wrong train."

"Hey, I was already sick from the first train ride and then you guys just switched trains without me-"

"I thought you were with us, Natsu, until you-"

"You totally did it on purpose!"

"Yes, Natsu, because I wanted to get stuck away from Magnolia for even longer. You know, I do have rent do on a specific date, right? I have to be here to, you know, freaking pay it!"

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively. "You know, if you didn't yell at me as much, maybe we wouldn't fight all the time."

"Maybe if you actually had some common sense, I wouldn't have to argue with you!"

Lisanna couldn't help it then as she began giggling at them. Because even though she had fallen rather hard for Natsu at one point, even she had to admit that he and Lucy complimented each other well. And if she couldn't have him, at least someone who deserved him did.

"You guys had fun though, huh?" Lisanna asked as Natsu came to take a seat at the bar.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," he said as Happy flew back over after, once again, being rejected by Carla.

"I did the work, Lisanna," the blue Exceed to her as he took his rightful place atop Natsu's head.

"No you didn't, you stupid cat," Lucy remarked. "You hardly did a thing!"

"I did too. I did all the hard work," he insisted.

"Did you?" she asked through a giggle.

"Yep. Huh, Natsu?"

"I wouldn't go that far, little buddy."

"In fact," Happy went on, ignoring Natsu then. "I think I deserve a fish."

"Do you?" she asked, laughing some more.

"When doesn't he think he deserves one?" Lucy grumbled. "He could poop and think he deserved one."

"You be quiet, you," Happy said, pointing a finger at her. "Maybe if you laid off your eating, I wouldn't have to struggle when I carry you!"

"You little-"

"So Lisanna," Natsu asked then, holding his head high as he spoke over Lucy and Happy. He was no doubt tired of their bickering after their trip. Keeping his eyes locked with the barmaid before him, he asked, "How were you while we were gone? Do anything fun?"

She wanted to tell him then. Because even if she was over him, even if she was perfectly happy with…'dating' Bickslow, she still wanted it to sting him the way that his relationship with Lucy did her. She wanted to tell him that just the night before, she had gone over to Bickslow's apartment and while they were cuddling on his bed talking, he just…well…

It started with him saying,

"You really think I should clean this place?"

"Yes," she had insisted loudly, giggling slightly. Though it had a rather odd aroma to it as well, his bed was actually quite nice. It fit both of them well, but they usually found themselves snuggled up in the middle, the babies falling up on their pillows on either side of them.

"Really?" He looked around. "It don't look half bad to me. In fact, I don't know if you noticed, but I even picked up for you."

She blinked. Then, slowly, she said, "Bickslow, throwing away our takeout boxes from yesterday is  _not_  picking up. That's called a normal thing to do."

He gave her a mock pout in response. "Hear that, babies? Lisanna don't think we cleaned up very well."

"Very well," the babies said as from their spots on the bed. "We cleaned very well."

"You think it'd be easy for you, Bickslow," she told him as he turned his body so he could bury his head in her white hair.

"What would be easy?" he asked, his voice muffled as he spoke against her head. Lisanna only giggled, turning to look up at him.

"You know, cleaning," she said, grinning. "I'd think that you could just enchant a, like, duster or vacuum and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, kid. I said I'd pick up for you. Dusting? Vacuuming? What do I look like? A maid?"

"No," she told him with a slight giggle. "But your place looks like a pig lives here."

"A pig, eh?" He nuzzled the top of her head then, making her bat at his face. "Careful, kid," he warned. "You poke me in the eye and we're gonna have a problem."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" she asked, wiggling her fingers then, in front of his face, as if she were going to do it. "Someone poking you in the eye? Is that why you wear a visor?"

"I wear a visor to hide my eyes, kid." He shifted then, to reach out and grab her arms, before pulling her into his. "'cept from you. Since you like 'em so much."

"I never said that," she complained, struggling in his hold. He only grinned down at her though. "I just said that you look better with your helmet off. And you do."

"And it ain't my eyes?"

"Mmm. I think it's the tattoo."

"Now you're toying with me, kid, and I don't like that."

"Don't like that," the babies replied though they didn't rise from their positions on the bed. She wondered at times how many other women he took to bed and if the dolls were like that with everyone. Every person likes to feel special, after all.

"What are you gonna do about it?" she asked, still trying to wiggle away from him. It was a halfhearted attempt, but then he was barely holding her. It was more of a game than anything else.

"What am I gonna do?" Her head got another kiss. "I'm gonna kiss you, that's what I'mma do. You like that, Lisanna?"

"Lisanna?" the babies asked.

"Mmmm….no." And then she elbowed him, right in the ribs. Not having expected this, he let her go in shock while she only sprang over him and out of the bed, nearly slipping on the floor as her foot got caught up with a pair of jeans he had laying down there.

"Lisanna!" Bickslow growled. "Get her, babies!"

"Lisanna," the dolls called as they sprang up. They didn't attack her though, only followed her out of the room. "Lisanna!"

Bickslow was up then, chasing after her too. But Lisanna didn't know where to go once she was in the living room and his dolls were swarming around her head. When she moved to try and rush towards the bathroom, Bickslow decided he wasn't having any of it. It was a flying leap, but he caught her, tackling her to the ground. At the sound of her letting out a sharp breath, he feared he'd taken things too far.

But then, before he could say anything, she was laughing and giggling and he just buried his head in her neck and they were fine. It had only been five days since she'd gone over to his apartment again, but there they were, snuggling on the dirty floor of his apartment.

"Beg for forgiveness."

"Bickslow-"

"You elbowed me."

"You restrained me."

"You were trying to poke me in the eyes."

"…Well."

"Well."

"At least let me get up."

"No way. I know that game, kid."

"Bickslow, it's dirty down here. Please? Just to the couch?"

"Fine," he grumbled, slowly moving to get up. "No funny business though."

When he let her up though, Lisanna merely stuck her tongue out at him before attempting to make a break for it. No go. Bickslow easily grabbed her and drug her over to the couch.

"You sure are a wild one, kid," he grumbled as he tossed her down to the couch, trying not to be too rough.

"Wild one," his babies croaked as Lisanna only giggled, shifting on the couch so that her head was pressed against the armrest.

"What are you gonna do about it?" she had asked him then. It was as he moved onto his knees on the couch, straddling over her around her knees, that the mood changed. He only stared down at her and she decided that yes, it was a good thing that he wore his helmet most of the time.

"I told you, Lissy," he whispered then. He had taken to calling her that the other day. "I'm gonna kiss you."

And he gave no orders to his babies. They only fluttered off back to the bedroom without saying a single thing. She only laid on her back though, still watching his eyes.

"Can I, Lisanna?" he was asking then as he leaned down some, resting his hands against her stomach. "Can I kiss you?"

Slowly, she nodded her head. At that, he moved to push up her shirt before pressing a very gently kiss against her tummy, right on her belly button.

"Can I kiss you again?" he asked. When she nodded, he said, "I need to hear you, Lissy."

"Yes," she whispered. There was a funny feeling growing in her gut. It was slowly becoming familiar to her though.

That time, it was lower, beneath her navel. It tickled as his blue hair brushed her stomach.

"Can I kiss you, Lisanna? Again?" He literally rubbed his head against the front of her shorts then before lifting his head slightly to look at her as his tongue fell from his mouth, the marking there mesmerizing her. "Here?"

And she nodded, of course she nodded, and then…and…and…then…and…

And then she was standing there, in that moment, in front of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, and her whole body heated up. Even her ears became red, she was blushing so deeply.

"You okay, Lisanna?" Natsu was asking her then. "Hello? Lisanna?"

"Do you feel feint?" Lucy asked then, concerned. "Lisanna? You look-"

"Is it from seeing Lucy's face?"

Growling, Lucy about reached over to push the cat off her boyfriend's head. "Shut up, stupid cat!"

"Ha ha," Lisanna giggled then, reaching up to stroke the back of her neck. "It's nothing, guys. I just got a tad cold is all. Really."

"If you're sure you're okay," Natsu said slowly. Lisanna only grinned at him though, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm fine, Natsu. Sheesh. Don't worry about me."

"Then do you do anything fun?" Lucy asked her then, her grin falling back onto her face. "Did you and Mirajane do something together?"

"Mira's actually out of town," Lisanna told her then.

"What? Where'd she go?"

"Her and Laxus went on vacation for a few days."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "And she left the bar to me and Kinana. She won't be back until the day after tomorrow."

"Wow," Lucy said. "I didn't know that she and Laxus were going anywhere."

"I don't think he wanted a lot of people to know. You know he's not too open about most things."

"Gah!" Natsu shook his head, almost throwing Happy off in the process.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, little buddy," he sighed. "I just don't wanna listen about Laxus."

"I'm so sorry, Natsu, that not every conversation revolves around you," Lucy remarked with only made him roll his eyes.

"If we have to talk about Laxus," he said slowly then. "Can we at least talk about whatever it was that Bickslow did to make him hit him? Please? I really want to fight him when he gets back. If you know, Lisanna, just tell me."

"I-I-" she tried, but then the guildhall doors opening saved her. Or rather the person rushing in saved her.

"Bickslow." She couldn't help it. When she saw him, she just perked right back up.

Not that anyone noticed. Happy had jumped off Natsu's head and gone back over to Carla while Lucy had been called over by Levy. It was just Natsu still sitting there and he made a face at the way she said the other man's name.

"Hey, Lisanna," he greeted as he made his way over to the bar, a bag in one of his hands.

"Lisanna," his babies cheered, rushing over to her as well. She only giggled though and mumbled a greeting back to them.

"I bought the stuff you wanted," Bickslow as saying, not even noticing the Salamander. Natsu noticed him though and got to his feet when he approached.

"Stuff?" Natsu asked, looking more to Lisanna for an answer. "For what?"

Now, Lisanna would admit that a tiny, tiny part of her, so tiny it hardly counted, might have made a little fantasy in her head during those two weeks where she was ignoring Bickslow after losing it to him. And in that fantasy, Natsu found out about how she and Bickslow had hooked up and go so fantastically jealous that he couldn't contain himself. He looked her dead in the eyes and admitted that he had loved her all along. And Lucy was there and only nodded her head in agreement and said that it was true. That she had always known. And Happy, well, happily jumped around for joy at the reunion of the little family that had hatched him from that egg all those years ago.

…Of course, an even tinier part of her had a second fantasy where Lucy felt that same pain that Lisanna had and realized what exactly she had done, but that one was so tiny that it practically didn't even exist.

Practically.

After the past few days that she'd spent with Bickslow though, she quite honestly didn't know what she wanted. She knew that she didn't want Natsu to ruin what she had going with Bickslow, but by the same token, she had always loved him. And if Natsu, in a fit of jealous rage, did something wild like, parse, proposed to her, well then, how could she possibly say no?

Oh, she desperately needed her big sister. She was the only one that would help her through the labyrinth of emotions she was currently harboring.

The only problem was that Mirajane had no idea that she was going through any of it because Lisanna was too big of a scaredy-cat to tell her about it.

"You sure are spacey today," Natsu commented then when Lisanna only stared at Bickslow. He had noticed Natsu for the first time and his grin fell slightly.

"Oh," he said then, looking to Lisanna. He was in his usual getup so he had his sallet on, covering his eyes. "Sorry, Lisanna. Were you busy with something?"

"B-Busy?" she repeated. But Natsu was speaking then.

"Actually, yeah, she was." He looked bucked up then as he turned to stare hard at Bickslow. Oh goodness! Was it happening? Was he about to-

"I was talking to her about your fight with Laxus, see, a few weeks ago," Natsu said then. Lisanna only blinked before letting out a slow breath. Natsu… "It's been bothering me this whole time. I really want my shot again, at him, but-"

"Don't know what to tell you," Bickslow told him dryly before glancing at Lisanna. "I'm just the bodyguard. You wanna honest battle with him, you take that up directly with him."

Natsu dropped his head then, though just as quickly he nodded it.

"I'll look into that, I guess," he said before going to walk around Bickslow and over to where Lucy was sitting with Levy. He must have forgotten that Bickslow had just interrupted his time with Lisanna. Sigh.

"Anyhow, Lisanna," Bickslow was saying then. When she glanced at him he only grinned before holding up a grocery bag. "Got all the stuff you wanted. The cleaning stuff? Got a duster, some rags, some of that spray stuff-"

"Bickslow," she said through a sigh then, cutting him off. Looking at him full on then, she said, "I'm working right now. You now that."

"Yeah, but can't you take off early and-"

"No. It's just me and Kinana here. I would never do that to her. How could you ask me to?"

"I just…" He dropped his shoulder then, leaning across the bar then. "I got all excited, I guess."

"Excited," the babies mimicked.

"But if you're working-"

"When I get off, I'll come over," she said, reaching out and up to push up the visor over his eyes. "Okay? Will that work for you?"

"If it's the only option, I guess it'll have to. Better than nothing though." He grinned again then. "You sure you'll be up for cleaning, Lisanna? When you get off work?"

"Probably not, but I'll do my best."

She worked for probably another three hours after Bickslow left. Then Kinana, who could tell she wished to be else where, told her she could go ahead and take the rest of the day off.

"Oh, no way, Kinana," she told her as she poured Gildarts, who was drinking with his daughter, another mug of his brand of whiskey. A full mug. Of straight whiskey.

He downed it in record time.

"I would never leave you here all alone. Mirajane asked me to-"

"Lisanna," Kinana cut her off. "You let me take off early the first night. Besides, I saw you earlier, talking to Bickslow. You wouldn't want to keep him waiting for too long, would you?"

Boy, she might as well just keep her face forever in that shade of red. It would be easier than blushing every time anyone said something to her ever, which is what she felt like she was doing the past few days.

Needless to say, Bickslow was surprised when he opened his door to reveal her. Even his babies called out her name in shock.

"Lisanna," the greeted as Bickslow opened the door even more. He had changed for the day, into just a pair of jeans and an undershirt, and only grinned at her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had work?"

"I got off, like you asked," she said, feeling rather awkward then. The only other time she had just shown up at his place was when she went home that once, to get some clothes and stuff from her place, before coming right back. "So-"

"I would have come down and walked you back here," he said before taking a step back. "Come in then, Lissy. And take a look."

The only thing that came out of her mouth after stepping into his place was, "Wow."

"Yeah, amazing huh? What a little bit of work can do?" He was real proud of himself, she could tell, as he shut and locked the door behind her before coming to stand beside her. He had his hands on his hips and a toothy grin as they looked at his living room.

"You really cleaned, Bickslow."

"Mmmhmm. Just like you asked. Put all the dirty clothes in a hamper, found my vacuum in my closet and vacuumed up the living room floor. Took all the trash out." He smiled down at her. "Don't get over excited though. So far I just got the kitchen and living room done, but-"

"It's perfect, Bickslow!" She couldn't help it then as she moved to throw her arms around him, like he was Natsu or Elfman or something. He seemed shocked for a moment, but just as quickly wrapped his arms back around her and lifted her up off the ground slightly.

"You think so? We still got the bedroom and the bathroom to do. I was saving them for last, since they're the worst. I-"

"You're so cute." Reaching up, she moved to run a hand through his hair. This time, though he shoved her back some. "B-Bick-"

"Not you, kid. Just my hair, huh? We might go out to dinner tonight." He reached up to fix it. "Trust me, you can mess with it later. When we know that we won't be going back out, huh?"

Then, just to tick her off, he reached over and ruffled her hair, messing it all up.

"Bickslow!"

"Daddy and the babies want a break from cleaning. Don't we, kids?"

"Yes," they called, floating all around then. "Break."

"Well, you have been working hard," Lisanna agreed as she smoothed out her hair. "What do you wanna do for your break?"

"Ugh. Sit down for one," he said, taking her hand in his own then and leading her over to the couch. "Cleaning is so tedious. It's like working out, but worse. No pay off."

"Uh, Bickslow," she said slowly as they settled in together. "This is the pay off."

"What? You?"

"No, silly. A clean apartment is the pay off for cleaning. It's why you do it."

"Meh," he said, looking around. "It's nice, but I know I'll just screw it up again."

"And that's why you have to keep cleaning."

He only grunted. "I dunno. Seems like a lot of work."

"Oh, Bickslow."

He stuck his tongue out then before literally  _licking_  her cheek. Now, they had done a few things that made her hesitant, but that completely threw her off.

"Ugh." He turned his head and made a face. "That was not what I envisioned."

"What did you envision?"

"I dunno. I thought you'd taste like a steak or something. You just taste all sweaty."

Blushing then, she scooted away from him some. "Well, I've been working all day, okay?"

"Aw," he said, frowning at her. "Are you upset that I didn't wanna lick you? C'mere, kid."

"Bickslow-"

Her cheek got another lick. She only frowned before rubbing at the cheek with her hand, for some reason grossed out by the thought of his spit getting there when, in reality, it had been in a lot stranger a place the night before.

"That's disgusting," she told him with a frown. "Seriously."

"Aw, Lissy, I was only joking."

"Only joking," his babies assured her as one came to rest in her lap. Lisanna only sighed then before reaching down to pat the wooden doll on his top, as if it had any real emotions.

"You can even lick me back if you want." He angled his neck then, as if offering her a cheek. "Go ahead."

"Bickslow-"

"Only joking," his babies reminded her. He winked then before sticking out his tongue again.

"No more licks?" he asked then.

'No more licks," she agreed.

"No more licks," the babies chimed in, because they just couldn't stand being left out.

She was staring at his tongue then for some reason as he opened his mouth and yawned. After a moment, she spoke.

"Did you, like, taste the ink? When your tongue was marked?"

"Huh?" He frowned at her. "What are you-"

"Your tongue. Guild mark. Does it mess with your taste buds? Even now?"

"Not really," he said then, grinning at her. "It interest you?"

"Sometimes it makes your tongue seem huge."

That made him laugh before winking at her again. "You wanna feel it?"

He opened his mouth then and stuck out his tongue in his signature way. Lisanna took a moment before making a face and holding out one finger. Then, as if squeamishly, she reached out to press it against the wet flesh of his tongue.

Then she made an, "Eek!" noise and withdrew her finger, much to the amusement of Bickslow.

"You're cute, kid," he told her then, moving to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a tight hug. Lisanna only giggled before reaching up to tap the center of the tattoo on his face. "Tell her she's cute, babies."

"You're cute," the babies chanted loudly to her, the one in her lap popping up and back into the air. "Lisanna."

She only giggled. "How much longer is this break then, Bickslow?"

That got him to calm down some. Still, he held her to him as he said, "I was sort of hoping that you'd forget all about that."

"What if I clean up your room some, huh? And you go in there and clean the bathroom?"

"Lissy-"

"The shower. At the very least I want you to clean the shower. Please? And I'll get all your dirty clothes and trash up in your room. Sound fair?"

"Mmmm….no."

"Bickslow-"

"You're so lucky, kid, that you're so much fun," he groaned as he got to his feet. "So lucky."

Somehow they didn't get back out of the apartment that night. Bickslow, after cleaning the shower and helping her pick up some in his room, ordered in.

"Don't you ever make your own food? Like at home?" Lisanna asked as they sat in his bed, eating the variety of different dishes he'd ordered. He was getting most of it, but he did let her try some of whatever she wanted. "Or can't you cook?"

"Hmmm?" He glanced at her before shrugging. "Cooking ain't my strong suit."

"Mirajane can cook," Lisanna told him then. "Better than anyone else I've ever met."

"Well, yeah, I know that," he told her. "Of course I know that. But what about you? Can you cook?"

"A little," she giggled. "But no where near as well as Mirajane."

"Then how about an arrangement, kid?"

"What do you mean?"

He reached over to poke her nose gently until she looked up at him. His babies were shut off from them, in the living room, and they were completely alone. As cute as she thought that his babies were, being alone was nice too.

"You make me dinner now, huh? When you don't have to work up at the bar as long. And on the nights that you can't, I buy the dinner."

"When we're together, you mean."

"Yeah," he said. "I buy or you make. That's the rules for when you spend the night from now on."

"What if I want you to make me dinner sometime?"

He laughed. Then he shook his head. "I promise, kid, you won't ever want that."

When they were finished eating, Bickslow was dismayed that Lisanna actually made him take all his trash to the waste bin in the kitchen. It was such a waste of time. Gah! It was much easier to just toss it on the floor off his bedroom and be done with it.

Then, afterwards, they ended up all snuggled together in his bed, the babies joining them. Lisanna was always slightly worried about rolling over on one and breaking it, but they seemed rather durable. And Bickslow assured her that he would just make more. She wouldn't hurt them.

And as they curled up that night, Lisanna found herself on her back as he snuggled against her stomach, as if a reversal of their usual roles. It was nice though because it gave her a chance to stroke his hair finally, playing with the Mohawk he usually formed with it. Her hands got rather greasy, but he seemed to like what she was doing.

A few days. And so much had changed. And why? Because her big brother and sister weren't around to keep an eye on her? If that was true, then she hoped they left her alone for the rest of her life, so she could always be with Bickslow.

"Mmmmm, kid," he mumbled at one point when she finished with his hair. "Gotta sleep. One more night then, huh?"

"Hmmm?"

"She comes home the day after tomorrow. Then you won't be over here anymore, right? Like this?"

"I dunno," Lisanna admitted softly. Bickslow only sighed.

"Why worry about a bad tomorrow when today's been so great?"

His head got flicked then.

"You're not allowed to just change your sayings around like that, Bickslow," she told him. "It has to be one or the other."

"Says who?"

She blinked. "I don't know, but-"

"The way I see it, Lissy, things change every day. Feelings, minds, opinions. Why can't my philosophies?"

"Mmmm. Bickslow."

Shifting then, he moved lay on his side next to her, his head sharing her pillow. The side of her head got a kiss before he mumbled, "Sleep, Lissy. Me and the babies are tired."

"Tired," some of his children mumbled from their spots.

"I got you, kid," he mumbled then as he wrapped an arm around her, grinning slightly, sleepily. "Okay?"

Shutting her eyes then, she nodded slightly before whispering, "Okay."

"Okay," his toys repeated making Lisanna giggle and Bickslow smile. Okay.

 


	5. Chapter 5

  


"I think it's just great of you, sis."

Lisanna blinked as those were the first words that her older brother Elfman said to her when he walked into the guildhall that day and over to the bar.

"Huh?" was her oh so clever response. Because, honestly, she hadn't done anything 'great' since, oh, ever.

Still though, he seemed mighty excited over something and she was just dying to find out what it was.

Until the next words came out of his mouth. Then she wished he'd just shut up.

"Helping out Bickslow," Elfman went on. "You know, I heard about how you went over there yesterday. To clean his place? That's so cool. Ever says it's a real mess."

Lisanna's panicky eyes fell then, from her intimidating older brother to Evergreen, who had appeared behind him, messing with hre glasses while she was at it.

"I-I-"

"Natsu was talking about how you went home with Bickslow," Evergreen offered up then with a slight shrug. "I only explained to your brother that it was a…charitable deed, as one might put it."

Lisanna glared at that, but Elfman only nodded his head.

"And how great of you, Lisanna," he said, still smiling away. "To help a random guy out like that? Wow. I'm real proud of you. You're really turning into a great woman, you know that? Totally manly."

She only let herself smile slightly, nervously, as Elfman reached across the bar to ruffle her hair. "Thanks, Elf."

He nodded then before looking to Evergreen. "I'll go check out the board, huh? Look for a job?"

"Why should I care?" she asked. He only grinned some before heading off. Then, with a sigh, Evergreen took a seat at the bar.

"You are going to have to come clean eventually, Lisanna."

The younger woman only cocked her head to the side before going back to wiping down the bar. 'I don't know what you're talking about."

"What's the worst they can do? They can't tell you no. You're an adult. And the two of them, Elfman and Mirajane, they'll never be mad at you. Never. Not after what happened. So just tell them and make it easier on all of us."

"What do you even know, Ever?"

"Don't call me that," she told her with a hint of harshness. "And besides, you're not being too coy. Coming to the guild in his jacket, staying over at his home. And he's practically bouncing off the walls the past few days. Not to mention, though Laxus wouldn't say what was up, Freed and I were able to connect the dots when he punched Bickslow, a few weeks back now."

Lisanna too to looking around then, but it was still early; not many people were around.

"I'm going to tell them, okay?" she said softly. "Eventually. When I know more."

"Know more?"

She nodded slightly. "About…about what Bickslow and I…are doing together. Because right now, he's-"

"You're dating, sweetie."

"I know that, but-"

"Not everything needs a label. You're not dating your little loser Salamander friend, Lisanna. Bickslow's a man, not a boy. Teenagers go on dates once and declare themselves in love. The rest of us don't need that kind of claim. Only objectivity." She gave Lisanna a long stare then. "You're having fun, aren't you? And I'm betting he is too. So just tell your brother and sister that you're dating and move on. Honestly, Lisanna, I don't know why you're making such a-"

"Because they hardly even let me go out of town alone, much less date anyone. They think that I should just sit around and watch Natsu be with whoever he wishes and wait for him to finish with Lucy. But I don't think he is! So why can't I-"

"Do you want me to talk to your brother?"

Lisanna was, of course, suspicious, and only said, "Why would you do that?"

"As shocking as it might be," Evergreen began as she inspected her nails, looking down on the polish. "I actually rather like Bickslow. Even though he can be quite annoying, we're…friends. And the past few days, he's been really happy, Lisanna, that you and him are seeing one another. And if stupid Elfman and Mirajane are going to ruin that for him over, what? Trying to keep you pure? Then I won't let it happen. I just won't.

"Because as shocking as it may be, sweetie, Bickslow isn't exactly the most attractive to women. I've found that most don't like men who play with dolls, calls them his babies, and has a  _disgusting_ tattoo across the front of his face. And don't even get me started on his clothing choices-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Lisanna caved, frowning some. "And no, I don't need you to talk to Elf for me. I…I can do it. I want to talk to Mira first, though, but-"

"You know, Lisanna," she said slowly then, finally looking the girl in the eyes for once. "You always talk about wanting to be treated like an adult. An adult wouldn't be afraid of admitting to their relationship."

Lisanna looked very pointedly over at her brother then until Evergreen followed her gaze to the overly muscular man, who at the moment was reading over different job requests. Then, adjusting her glasses, Evergreen said,

"Well, with in reason, of course."

"Of course."

Still, with it being her last day until Mirajane came back, Lisanna really wanted to spend it with Bickslow. Not because she thought it would be their last or anything. No. Now that she had decided definitely to tell Mira, she knew that it would just be the first of many! Still though, it was kind of the end of their magical week together. And she was sort of nervous, over whether or not he would see the end of Laxus' vacation as an end to their relationship.

But she was nearly certain that Laxus wouldn't care if she was  _dating_  Bickslow. She was pretty sure that he was just upset when he thought that Bickslow had been using her. Once he found out though that they were seeing one another, which she was secretly hoping would become exclusively, he couldn't be too upset. After all, it was one thing to defend her honor, but to keep her from ever finding a boyfriend? There was no way that he would do that.

Would he?

Regardless, around noon, Bickslow and the babies came to the guildhall. And he completely bypassed the table that both Freed and Ever were seated at to come over to her and sit down at the bar.

"Lisanna," the babies greeted, a few rushing over to bump gently against her in greeting. She only grinned, smiling at all of them.

"Hi," she said, though it was more directed at Bickslow. He only leaned against the bar, winking at her when he pushed up his visor.

"Hey," he greeted, grinning widely. "How 'bout something to drink and eat, huh?"

So he stayed, for a few hours, actually. And not with the Thunder Legion. Oh, no. He stayed over with her, right at the bar. And whenever she had to go around it, to refill drinks and bring people their food, his babies followed her around, Pappa and Pippi riding atop her head at times.

Eventually though, he said that he had some things to take care of and that he'd be by to walk her home later. And the babies called out their goodbyes as well, which made her blush slightly, thankful that for once they didn't add on any embarrassing information to their words.

"What was that all about?"

"Mmmm?" Lisanna turned from watching Bickslow walk out off the guildhall then, as Natsu appeared on the other side of the bar from her. She honestly hadn't even noticed him enter.

"You and Bickslow. I've been waiting to talk to you this entire  _time_ ," he complained then. "But you kept talking to him."

"You should have said something," she told him as he slid into the stool that Bickslow had been previous occupying. "I wasn't talking to him about anything important."

"I don't get why you were talking to him about anything at all."

She gave him a look then, a tired one. "Natsu-"

"And you smell like him," Natsu went on. "And-"

"What is up with you? Why are you-"

"What's up with you?" he asked back, staring at her. "I mean-"

"It's really none of your business, Natsu, if I-"

"Look," he said then, leaning forwards and staring her down. "If you got the information on how to fight Laxus from him, just tell me. Really. I'm cool with it. What? Did he insult him somehow? Threaten Mirajane? What? You gotta tell me."

She blinked. Then she frowned. "Seriously? That's what you're so worried about?"

"Of course," he said, sitting back then. "Why else would I care?"

Because he was jealous. Because he wanted her to be with him and only him. Because it wasn't fair that she was gone for two years, dead for two years, and they all just moved on without her. That he had met Lucy and decided that she was somehow better. Because, because, because.

"I don't know," she said then, turning to walk off. "But I'm working Natsu. And where's Lucy? Or Happy?"

"At her place. With Plue." He slumped over in his seat for a moment before suddenly perking up. "I forgot!"

That made her stop, as she had been heading to go refill a few beers. Turning back, she asked, "Forgot what?"

"Why I came here," he said. "When I saw you talking with Bickslow, I got all sidetracked, about the whole fight thing with Laxus, and-"

"What were you supposed to do? Or tell me, Natsu?"

"Lucy wanted to know if you wanted to hangout tonight," he said, nodding his head then. "She said that she knew you had to work, but that if you got off early, maybe you could go with us, Plue, and Happy to-"

"I can't," she said then, sighing slightly. "Even if I got off early, I would be-" She caught herself then, before saying it. Then, after deciding that she did very much so want Natsu to feel the pain that she felt when she saw him with Lucy, she said, "I would be with Bickslow."

Already forgetting that he had been so interested in that before, Natsu only shrugged his shoulders before jumping up.

"Alright then. I better get back. Lucy gets so mad at me, you know, when I get distracted and don't come back on time."

"I wonder why," she mumbled slightly. Natsu took her seriously and only shrugged.

"I dunno," he said thoughtfully. "Well, anyhow, see you around, Lisanna."

And then he was gone. Just like that. Gone. He did throw down a slight wave and a smile, but something just didn't feel right about it. Not anymore. Because…because Bickslow didn't have a Lucy that he was all hung up on. He just had her. He took her home at night. He made plans with her. Not some other woman.

So why couldn't she just be content with that? Why was she so insistent then about making Natsu see that she too had moved on? Didn't that in itself mean that she hadn't? That she was still hung up on him?

But how could she be? When she was with Bickslow, it was all so…different from when she was with Natsu, back before all the Edolas stuff happened. Back then, flirting with Natsu had been scary, but familiar. Safe. Because even when he was aloof or downright embarrassed by it, she always knew that the next day, it'd be like nothing happened and she'd have another crack at it.

But with Bickslow, nothing was familiar. Everything was new. She had no idea, what he was do if she suddenly came up behind him and threw her arms around him. Or what he'd do if he found her flirting with another guy. Or how about if she suddenly just pretended to be uninterested with him? What would he do then? Would he be just as uninterested? Would he not notice that she wasn't hanging around anymore? Or would he in turn try to play tough, like her, until they both began laughing over it and make up?

None of it was proverbial territory with him. Instead, it was all uncharted and rocky. But was that not what made it fun, as well as scary? She didn't know if her next step would lead her into a landmine or was too close to the enemy's lands.

All of it was fresh and interesting. Not to mention the things that she did know, the things that she already loved, were great. Like the way he knew  _everything_  (or at least as far as she was concerned) about intimacy or the way that he tried so hard to please her, even after only a few days, that he was willing to clean his entire apartment just so she would stay the night. Then there were his babies, who she was slowly falling in love with. They were entertaining and funny and it just spoke volumes to him as a person. A man that could take souls and use them for his pleasure instead decided to rescue five lost ones and make them his babies. He loved them. He was downright devoted to them. They were the only things that he cared about.

And that made him so much hotter.

But…Natsu had always been the only guy that she'd ever thought about being with. It was almost like they were destined to be together. And she had to wonder at times that maybe it wasn't her going to Edolas that changed everything. Because in Edolas, Lucy and Natsu were still something. And she was there the whole time. So…maybe…and she didn't like to think about it, but maybe…her and Natsu weren't meant to be together. Maybe it had just been a childhood crush and meant nothing more than that. They could still be friends, of course they still could be, but perhaps it was time to let go. Because it was obvious he had.

That night, their final night, Bickslow came to get her right at closing. And he helped her clean up around the bar too, even letting Kinana leave without closing up, saying that he and Lisanna had it. And she had only giggled before running off, leaving the two of them alone.

"So," he'd asked after they'd finished for the night. "You wanna go around town, try to find a place to get some food this late? Or you wanna go home and see what I have in my fridge?"

"Would you have anything there for me to cook?"

"I might. Maybe some chicken or something. Frozen."

"Mmmm. You have eggs, I think, that aren't rotten. Maybe I could make us those?"

"Whatever's fine with me."

"Fine with me," all the babies agreed, Poppo from atop her head and Pippi from her arms.

Bickslow grinned then, at them and her before saying, "They don't usually like other people."

"What do you mean? They always seem friendly."

"They get excited, sure, around others, but the way they are with you? They never really like the women I date." Then he paused. "Err, well, I guess the women never really like them. That probably has more to do with it, I'm sure."

"I like them," she said, giggling slightly. "How could someone not? They're sweet."

"Sweet," the babies agreed.

He only laughed though and she giggled. It was their last day…

When they got home, Lisanna made them dinner, though it was really breakfast food. Bickslow didn't care. He practically ate the whole carton of eggs that she scrambled up. Not before making sure she had her fill, of course.

They ate in bed, because he had no dining table. He had a coffee table, out in the living room, but it was just more comfortable to eat in his bedroom. And, as he wasn't one that was all stuck on cleanliness, it wasn't a problem to him.

And after they finished eating (and yes, she made him put his plate in the sink), they stretched out on bed again. Since she still had to be up at the guild in the morning because Mirajane wouldn't be in until the afternoon, they both knew that she needed to go to bed.

The thing was, though, that she didn't want to. Because if they went to bed, then it was over and they were going to have to make some very big decisions soon. Or at least she was. Because she knew that Mira would be excited, at first, over the thought of her dating, but once she realized that it had come about through a one night stand, she would not be too happy.

Bickslow had other plans for the night though. He'd kicked the babies out and was mostly focused on making out. They were sort of talking though, at times. In fact, it was while he was over her, slowly pushing up her t-shirt, that she said something that changed it all.

"B-Bickslow," she whispered because even him kissing her neck was enough to get her hot. He only took to nuzzling it then.

"Mmmm?" he hummed against her flesh. She only giggled.

"I wanna… When Mira gets back, I'mma tell her. About us. About this. Ok-"

"No."

And just like that, his head was away from her neck and above her again. His hands weren't on her tummy then as he moved to lay them on the bed, shoving himself up slightly so that they could stare at one another.

"N-No?" she repeated.

"No," he said then, staring her in the eyes. "You gotta promise me that-"

"Why not?"

"Lisanna, tell me that you won't say anything to your sister about this. You can't."

"But-"

"Look at me." It was hard not to. "Laxus cannot, under any circumstance-"

"Bickslow," she said then, grinning at him. He wouldn't match hers for once. "Laxus was just mad when he thought that we were…that it was a one time thing. But it's not. Because we're… It's not just a one time thing anymore. It's more than that. So he won't care. He-"

"I was given an order, Lisanna, to stay away from you." He stared into her eyes, watching her. "And I can't-"

"So what then? Because Laxus said that we can't-"

"You don't get it, alright, kid? You don't-"

"You're right. I don't get it." Her grin was falling fast then. "Why are you being like this?"

With a groan, he rolled off her and onto his back. She only turned though, sitting up some as she stared at him.

"It's…It's Laxus, Lisanna. And I can't go against Laxus. I just can't. He-"

"But I thought-"

"Look, kid, I want to be with you." He had thrown a hand over his eyes, but then he removed it, moving to sit up too, fully, so that he could stare at her. "But not yet. We have to-"

"But Bickslow-"

"Give it time. For it to seem like I didn't disregard what he said. Because if he thinks otherwise-"

"If he thinks otherwise, what? He's not my keeper, Bickslow. Sheesh, he's not even related to me! At all. So what, he thinks suddenly that he can play a guardian over me? Who cares? I don't. He's not my boss. He's-"

"Lisanna-"

"Then what, Bickslow? You wanna keep this a secret?" She glared at him. "You were the one that got onto me, for letting Mirajane control my life when here you are, letting some man that's not even a relative of you tell you what to do. I thought you were so much older than me? That you were so much more mature? That-"

"Don't play this back on me, kid." He moved to lay back down then. "Acting like suddenly because you want to tell your sister, that it makes me a bad person for wanting to keep it quiet."

"I'm not trying to-"

"I know that you got your hold ups too."

"What are you-"

"I see the way you look at him, Lisanna. I ain't stupid. That damn visor don't hide things from me." He looked over at her then, dead on. "You want that Natsu kid, don't you? Well guess the fuck what, Lisanna? He don't want you. So get the hell over it."

And then she lost it. Whatever she had been holding onto. It was just gone. He had known, the whole time, about Natsu. About…about…about what, again? That she liked another guy? Was that really such an offense?

To someone that wasn't even really her boyfriend?

"Why are you being like this, Bickslow? You-"

"Me? Why am I being like this? You're the one suddenly trying to change the game."

"You said that you wanted me to tell-"

"Before, when you weren't talking to me, yeah, Lisanna. I wanted you to see that you don't need your sister's approval. And you don't. You're grown. You're fucking grown, kid!" He let out a long breath then. "But Laxus told me, before he left, to stay away from you. Personally told me. And I went against that. He could kick me out of the Thunder God Tribe. Don't that matter to you at all?"

She only stared at him. "But I'm telling you, Bickslow, that he won't care. That he-"

"I can't risk it, alright?"

"Then…then what about us?"

He blinked. Then he sighed. "We can still be like this. You can still sneak out, come over here. And I do like you, kid. A lot. And in a few weeks, when things have settled some, we can-"

"But I don't want a few weeks, Bickslow. I want now. I want to be able to say that you're my boyfriend. I want-"

"Hey, knock it off. Don't start getting whiny on me." He shut his eyes then. "I'm telling you, Lisanna, how it'll be. Understand?"

And something in that, something in the way he said that sounding  _so much like Mirajane_. It sounded just like someone that thought that they knew better than her. Someone that thought they were above her. In control of her. That they had something she didn't.

There was no way that she was going to break away from Mirajane just to be controlled by someone else. No effing way. She was an adult. The whole thing started with her desire to become an adult. She wasn't throwing it away for a guy that wasn't even willing to admit to sleeping with her. And why? Because big bad Laxus Dreyar said so? Yeah right.

"Don't give me that look, kid." He was sitting up again then, shifting so he was facing her. Then, reaching out with both hands, he took her face in them, staring down at her. "Look, it's real simple, see? These past few days were great. Like a…trial run. And it'll be like that again, huh? When I can say something to Laxus about it? When you can tell Mira? And then-"

"You don't control me, Bickslow," she told him then, though his eyes were too captivating for her to turn away from them. "I can tell Mira whatever I want to. I can do whatever I want to."

"I ain't trying to stop you from talking to your sister, kid," he assured her. Then he grinned, but it was hollow. His tongue didn't even come out. No teeth. It was awkward. "Just to keep quiet about this for awhile, huh? Don't you want this to be easy on me? Lissy?"

And he was winning. Was she really that easy to sway?

When she nodded slightly, he only leaned forwards to rub his nose against hers.

"I care about you, kid. And don't ever effing forget it."

"'kay."

And then he was kissing her and it was as amazing and mystical as ever and she forgot that she was upset with him. She forgot that she didn't like being manipulated. It just went to show how easy it was to change her opinion. He could almost see why Mirajane and Elfman did it constantly. It was just too easy not to. She was constantly craving attention, from anyone, and he was more than glad to give it to her.

And even though she still didn't want to be taken again, that was fine. He liked to make her squirm. It wasn't as good, no way could it ever be, but it was a nice substitute. And it was cute, when she would blush either from her own feelings or from the thought of helping him with his. And in those few stolen moments they'd had, days previous, she'd gotten no more courageous. Everything was timid. And it only made him grin, because he'd gotten her first. Before anyone else.

Even that Salamander guy.

It was their last night and when they were finished, she snuggled up to him like usually. He could tell though, from the way she kept looking at him, that something was still wrong. And if he were anyone else, he'd have let it go. He'd gotten what he wanted and she'd gotten what she wanted, so why keep prying? But he just couldn't help himself.

"What, Lisanna?" he sighed as she only laid against him, not moving. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Bickslow. I just…I don't get it."

"Lis-"

"I know. We already went over it. But still. If I can stand up to Mira, why can't you to Laxus?"

"It's different with us. We're-"

"But I could tell him. And I could explain it to him." She thought she had a solution then and moved to sit up some. "He really likes me. We play cards and sometimes he lets me go out to dinner with him and Mira. He-"

"No." Bickslow's voice was absolute once more. "You cannot do anything like that. You hear me? You won't tell Laxus anything."

"But Bickslow-"

"No. You hear me? I said no. So stop-"

"Then why did you ever even bother with me? That first night? You were the one that stayed after to-"

"Because Mirajane asked me to."

It fell out of his mouth without meaning to. It was the truth, after all. After he said it, he blinked before glancing at her.

She didn't take the admission well.

"She what?"

"Lissy-"

"No, Bickslow. What are you-"

"Your sister just want you to, you know, have someone looking out for you. And she knew that Elfman would spend most his time with Evergreen and Erza's out on a mission, so-"

"So what then?" She was glaring at him and he groaned because he was so close, so close to just getting off with them going to sleep. So close. "That's why we've been hanging out? Because Mira wanted me to have a babysitter?"

"Lisanna-"

"And you just took it as an opportunity to sleep with me? Huh? Is that it?"

"You're not-"

"I can't believe you." She was getting out of bed then making him groan. "Seriously? So you capitalized off my sister, once again, treating me like a baby. Something that you said she shouldn't do. So were you lying then, Bickslow, when you said-"

"I haven't lied about anything, Lisanna-"

"You lied about everything! If Mira hadn't told you that, what? Would we not be here right now?"

"I don't know. What difference does it make?"

"You're such a douche, Bickslow."

Growling then, he sat up. "Lisanna, seriously, listen to me-"

"Listen to you? Listen to you what? Huh? So what? You didn't want me to tell Mira that we're sleeping together, but you sure liked the idea of babysitting me for her. You're so… I hate you! You're just as bad as Mirajane and Elfman. I'm not a child. I do not need someone looking out for me. 'cause last time I checked, not you, Mirajane, Elfman, or Laxus had anything to do with me getting back from Edolas."

"You're not listening to me, kid. You're just-"

"What do you want to say, Bickslow? 'cause you totally used Mirajane's treating me as a kid to your advantage."

"So what if I did, huh? Are you going to tell me that you weren't happy these past few days? That you didn't like what we were doing? Because, face it, kid, you totally liked all of it. Since that first night, when we hooked up when we were drunk, you-"

"You know what the plan was, after that, Bickslow?" She was getting dressed then, not looking at him. "Not you. You were just supposed to be the first of many. I had zero desire to ever and I mean ever sleep with you again. You were-"

"And what do you think you were, kid? Not even a good fuck." He was sitting up then, glaring at her. "It's kinda a thing, kid, where you tell someone before they pop your cherry."

"Screw you."

He snorted. "What do you think I was talking to Laxus about, Lisanna? When he hit me? I was telling him about how I was worried you would become clingy after and it made him mad."

"You-"

"And what have you become? I mean, honestly, did you think it was a smart idea to just basically come stay with me for the week? A guy that's really only your acquaintance, that you know can control a person at the drop of a hat? Huh? And you want to go out and sleep with the world? You'll end up with your throat slit before the month's up, kid."

"I'm not a kid! And you're the one that wanted me over here, Bickslow. I never came over without you asking me to. You-"

"You're just an annoying little brat that wants someone to pay attention to her. And when your big sister and your brother didn't wanna give you some anymore, you jumped my bones the first chance you got." Shaking his head at her, he said, "You wanna sleep around, Lisanna? Go for it. But know this. Ain't no one gonna be as nice to you as I've been."

"Nice? You've been nice? This is nice?"

He only snorted. "You're right, kid. Mira wanted you to have a babysitter, but guess what? I ain't one. So come back when you mature some, huh?"

It wasn't a minute after she was gone, fleeing from his apartment, that he regretted what he had done. Honestly, he wouldn't have taken it that far, he would have found a way to apologize if she hadn't said that he was just supposed to be another guy.

How could she say that? After the past few days? He thought…and he felt silly for it, but he thought that maybe they were…

But it was his own fault, ultimately. He wasn't dumb. He'd known that she was still in love with the Salamander. He wouldn't be surprised if she had been trying to use him to make the idiot jealous.

And did it matter? He could have never been with her. Not really. They were just too…too…too…

"Papa?"

She'd left the door opened and the babies were coming in then, to check on him. They'd no doubt heard the fight and seen Lisanna leaving in tears.

But he didn't want them. He didn't want to be a daddy. He wanted those few minutes back, to fix them. To make them right. He wanted Lisanna to come back so that he could explain. Because even if she was using him, even if it was just a game to her, it hadn't been for him. Not really. He had thought…

And then he hit the bed out of frustration because he felt so foolish. He'd been the older one. He'd been the one in power. How did he let her get the upper hand? Huh?

As he was feeling anger though, Lisanna was only feeling sorrow. And remorse. And so…stupid. She was so stupid. To think that an older guy was interested in her. That he actually cared about her. And hadn't Ever tried to warn her, that it wasn't like a relationship would be with Natsu. That Bickslow would just see it for what it was. Two people screwing each other a few times and hanging out. That was all. That was fucking all.

And when she got home, to her room, it felt odd, going to get in her bed. As if she had been the one on vacation, not Mirajane. And hadn't she?

When she sobbed, it was curled up in a ball in the middle of her bed, feeling foolishly the entire time. Not just over Bickslow though. Also over the fact that she was feeling so strongly about something so silly. That someone who'd lost her parents, as well as brother and sister for a few years there, could cry over a man that two months ago she wouldn't have given a second glance was just ludicrous.

But that's what she was doing.

She cried herself to sleep. And her body, in it's over exhaustion, didn't wake up on time, when she would have needed to in order to get down to the guildhall on time for her shift. In fact, she slept right through sunrise and into the late morning. It was nearing eleven when Mirajane arrived.

And she was panicky, because Lisanna was supposed to have been down at the guildhall. That's where she'd gone first, to relieve her of her duties, but she hadn't been there. Kinana said she hadn't come in at all that morning and she figured she'd just forgotten or overslept, seeing as that wasn't her normal schedule.

Which made sense, of course but Mirajane wasn't one for sense when it came to Lisanna. She'd had fun, fine, at the resort, but she had also fretted over Lisanna most moments, secretly. Laxus would only get annoyed, if he knew, after all.

So when she got home, the first thing she did was rush straight towards her sister's room. At first, the sight of her snuggled up with a pillow in bed was a comfort to Mirajane. Then she saw the tearstains on her sister's pale cheeks and frowned, coming closer.

"Lisanna," she whispered as she got to her. "Lisanna? Are you okay? Huh?"

Slowly, the girl peeked open her eyes and whispered, "Mira?"

"Mmmhmm. Did you oversleep, silly? Or are you sick?"

Lisanna only blinked before slowly, so very slowly, sitting up. Then she remembered. Mirajane had left her and she'd rushed right over to Bickslow. Because, as he put it, all she wanted was some attention. Any attention. And he'd given it to her.

And just like that, she started with the tears again and Mira, concerned, moved to hug her.

"Are you alright? Was it a bad dream? Lisanna, tell me. Now."

But she was looking passed Mirajane. In the doorway was Laxus, who was holding Mira's bags. When she started crying though, he dropped them and headed in the room as well. She saw his nose twitch slightly, sniffling slightly.

He knew. He had to.

"What did he do to you?" Laxus asked, clearly thinking the worse after seeing her like that. Bickslow was, after all, a master at Figure Eyes. He could, in theory, make her do anything. "Tell me. Now."

Mira glanced back at her boyfriend then, in shock. "Who? What are you-"

"Laxus, it's not-" Lisanna tried, but his eyes were dark.

"What'd he do? Did he hurt you?"

"Who are you guys-"

"No, Laxus, it was just… He broke up with me! Or…or I don't know what he did, but-"

"Tell me," Laxus went on. "Did he do anything that-"

"Nothing like that. We were just-"

"Someone is going to tell me what's going on," Mira said then, letting Lisanna go as she moved back from the bed, her voice taking it's darker tone. "Now."

And then Lisanna was trying to explain to her, through tears and sobs, about how she though that she loved Bickslow and that she thought he'd cared about her too, but apparently not. She had been fooled once more. Because she was just that. A fool. She was so stupid. And was an idiot.

Mirajane eventually sat down on bed with her and let her vent while Laxus, after promising to go wait in the living room and not go bother Bickslow, left the room, closing the door behind him. He didn't do crying, after all. Only problem solving.

"Why didn't you just tell me, Lisanna?" Mira asked at one point, after, through hiccups, she'd explained that she'd hooked up with Bickslow a few weeks ago. "Huh? How could you think that keeping this from me-"

"Because," she moaned as she snuggled up with her sister, like she was a little kid again. When wasn't she, though, a little kid? Even she felt childish at the moment. "I thought you'd be mad. And that-"

"Lisanna." She was looking her dead in the eyes then, the same mirrored eyes. Their mother had the same eyes. "I'm not stupid. Although…Bickslow was never part of the plan, I knew eventually you'd…that we couldn't keep you a baby forever."

She only moaned though. "I don't even like it. Having sex. It hurt. And…we only did it that once."

"Then what-"

"Other stuff. We did other stuff."

Mirajane blinked. Then she took a deep breath because the whole moment was requiring a lot from her.

"Now what, Mira?" Lisanna asked her then, sniffling slightly. She was all cried out. "I really like Bickslow. I-"

"Lisanna, part of dating is breaking up," she told her softly. "And in your case, not even that. You were literally just hooking up with him."

"But-"

"It's okay to feel sad about it. I get it. The first guy I slept with, literally, never talked to me again. And I was crushed."

"What did you do?" Lisanna asked her. Mira only shrugged.

"Well, I didn't do anything silly, like try to force him to like me. So don't do that. Just… The best revenge is moving on without a second thought, huh? Even if it hurts you, never let him see that. Just find someone new. Someone- Not Natsu, Lisanna," she added then. She only made a face at her though making Mirajane giggle. "Just someone new. Think outside the guild even. At least that'll keep Laxus from breathing done his neck."

She moaned then, shifting to rest her head against her sister's chest. "But I liked Bickslow."

"I know." Then she added, "And I'm sorry. For asking him to watch over you. I thought that he would just-"

"It's not your fault."

Mirajane only pressed a kiss to her head then before moving to slip out of bed. She'd kept Laxus waiting long enough.

"Just remember, Lisanna, that it gets easier every time, huh? This time was bad, but the next guy? And the next? Easier and easier."

Why didn't that make her feel any better? Like at all?

When Mirajane got to the living room, she found Laxus messing with his headphones on the couch. Going over to him, she promptly hit him in the arm.

"The hell-"

"Don't you ever keep secrets about  _my_  sister from me again, you big dope!" He got another hit. With that, Laxus stood up, towering over her. Mirajane just glared up at him though. "You hear me? Gosh, Laxus. Lisanna's my little sister. If she's sleeping with someone-"

"You think I wanted to know? 'cause I didn't. I was told." In a roundabout kinda way. "Not to mention, I told him to stay the fuck away from her. And I meant it. He normally listens to me. I'm going to have to-"

"No, you're not," Mirajane said then, making him frown.

"He's one of my bodyguards, Mirajane. He does whatever I tell him. He-"

"Since it has to do with my sister, Laxus, it's under my jurisdiction. And she's already upset. I am not going to let you embarrass her as well."

"So suddenly defending her honor is a bad thing?"

Mira blinked. Then she looked around suspiciously.

"That reminds me," she said then. "Where has Elfman been in all this? Lisanna says that she's been staying over with Bickslow. How did Elfman not know? I mean-"

Just then, the front door opened to reveal Elfman and Evergreen, both extra giggly and overly excited. When they noticed Laxus and Mira though, they sobered immediately.

"Big sis!" Elfman rushed to hug her, but Mirajane only held up her hand. "Huh?"

"Where have you been? Huh? You're in big trouble, Elfman Strauss." She grabbed one of his arms then, leading him off into the kitchen to finish chewing him out. "When I leave town, that means that you're in charge. It does not mean that you can go running off all willy-nilly with some girl and forget about your responsibilities at home. And look! You haven't even done the dishes in how long?"

"I'm sorry, sis. Honest!"

After they were gone, Laxus and Evergreen were left alone in the living room. For a moment, they just summed the other up. Then, slowly, Laxus narrowed his eyes at her.

"What did you know?" he asked, not even mentioning the topic. He could just tell she was already privy to it.

"What did you?" she challenged back. And for a moment they had a staring contest. Then, with a shake of his head, Laxus went back to messing with his headphones.

"We never mention this again."

Evergreen only nodded slightly. "Fine with me."

 


	6. Chapter 6

Lisanna didn't leave her house for, oh, two days at least. That was only in her attempt to avoid Bickslow though.

Not that he didn't bother her there. Because he did.

The first morning, he left a cake he bought at the bakery on the doorstep, with the words 'Sorry, kid' on it.

She let Laxus and Elfman eat it.

That afternoon there was a bouquet of roses left on the doorstep, though when she answered the ringing doorbell, he wasn't around.

She let Ever have them.

That night, before she went to bed, the doorbell rang again. She let Elfman answer it, though all he found there was a letter.

She burned it without looking at it.

And the next morning, there were a box of chocolates waiting when Mira went out to get the paper.

She let her keep them.

Then that afternoon, when the doorbell rang, Lisanna figured it was her turn, once again, to answer it and find out what stupid gift he sent.

Lucy. It was Lucy standing there, grinning at her.

"Hey, Lisanna," she greeted. "Me and Natsu came by to-"

"Natsu?" she asked, glancing around.

"Yeah, he's-" Lucy stopped when, after glancing behind her, she found that he wasn't around. "Well, he was here. I mean, he was just-"

Then there was a yell and the sound of fighting coming from the backyard. Rushing through the house then, both women were not shocked to find, when they got to the glass backdoor, to see Natsu fighting out there with Laxus, who had been cutting the grass for Mirajane.

"He must have heard the lawnmower and assumed it was Laxus," Lucy said softly as they watched Natsu, once again, get his butt kicked by the second generation dragon slayer. "Well, we lost Natsu for the day."

"Yeah," Lisanna agreed softly as they stood inside the house. Pressing a hand against the cool glass, she said, "Anyhow, you said you wanted something?"

"Not wanted, Lisanna. We were just coming over to see if you wanted to hangout or something."

She glanced at the blonde then before shaking her head. "No, I'm good."

"You sure?" Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Did you have something going on today?"

"No," she sighed. "I just-"

Then the doorbell rang and, without thinking, Lisanna rushed to go answer it. Lucy, after glancing at her boyfriend one last time (he was laying on the ground, moaning, as Laxus only got back to doing the lawn), she went to see what was going on.

"Hey," Lucy said as she came up behind Lisanna. "It's one of those dolls. That follow Bickslow around."

It was Pappa, with a note taped to his head. He was resting in Lisanna's hands though as she only stared down at him in shock.

"Why would he come here?" Lucy asked, hesitant. "You think it's for Laxus? Or-"

"It's for me," Lisanna mumbled, gently pulling the note off the baby's head before tossing him back into the air. Instead of flying off, Pappa moved to land on her head. Slowly, Lisanna closed the door.

"For you?" Lucy was getting a little creeped out then. "And I thought that they couldn't work without him controling them? So is he around or-"

"They're not…fake, Lucy. They're real. They're spirits. He just forces their body into different dolls, so that they can be seen." She was still reading the note again. Then, after a moment, she crumpled it up and threw it to the ground before turning to walk off, Pappa still on her head.

Curious, Lucy reached down to grab the note and slowly unfold it.

"Lisanna," she whispered. "He's…giving you one of his babies?"

"Lucy-"

"And what's he talking about? Why did you two fight? I mean, I didn't even know that you were friends. I thought-"

"We…Lucy."

"What?"

And then they were sitting down on the couch, Pappa moving to rest in Lisanna's lap, as she told Lucy everything.  _Everything_. And she found that it was much easier than telling Mirajane for some reason. Maybe it was because she knew that no matter what, Lucy couldn't judge her. Not really. How could she? She was, after all, dating Natsu. She couldn't judge anyone.

And maybe, also, it was because Lisanna always put her older siblings on such higher levels than anyone else. She almost treated them as if they were perfect. Or at least Mirajane was. Sometimes she wondered about Elfman…

Still though, Lucy wasn't any of that. If anything, Lucy was supposed to be her rival. Yet…she wasn't. She was just Lucy. And they were friends. Maybe not the best of friends, but definitely something. And she sure beat the heck out of Edolas Lucy…

"And…and now he keeps leaving these gifts at the door," Lisanna concluded eventually as she and Lucy sat next to one another on the couch. "I think that's what Pappa is supposed to be."

"Pappa?"

"The doll," Lisanna explained. "They all have names, Lucy."

"Why would he give you him though?"

"I think so I would have to see him," Lisanna said then, staring down at the doll in her lap. "Is that it, Pappa?"

"That it," he agreed.

"He wants me to go give him back, I'm sure."

Lucy thought for a moment before saying, "Then-"

"But I'm not going to."

"Wh-What?"

"He wants Pappa back? He can come get him. I'm not going to him." With that, she stood, taking the little wooden doll with her. "He gave him to me. That means he's mine now."

"Lisanna," Lucy said slowly as she got up to follow her. "I don't think-"

"He'll be by at dinner time, I'm sure, with another stupid gift. Either that or to pick Pappa back up."

"And you're not going to give him back?"

Lisanna only headed to her bedroom, carrying Pappa back with her. Lucy was quick to follow.

"Lisanna, it was literally one fight. And you said that Laxus and Mirajane are cool with everything, huh? So maybe-"

"He said that I'm a brat and that I only crave attention. That I wasn't even good at sex and he didn't want me until I've matured. So guess what? He lost me. That's it. That's-"

"Everyone fights, Lisanna. Natsu and I-"

"Yeah right. You and Natsu don't really fight."

"Uh, yeah we do," Lucy said, making a face. "We do a lot. We-"

"You guys argue, fine, but you never-"

"Natsu and I broke up, two months ago. Or almost did. Over something just as silly as all this."

"This is not-"

"I know that you don't see it that way right now, trust me, I get it, but it is." She sighed then, coming further into the room. When Lisanna sat down on the edge of the bed, Pappa still in her arms, so did Lucy.

"It's just… He's never yelled at me. Ever. But he was. And Bickslow's so…"

"I don't know him well, Lisanna, at all. And anything I think of him is kinda slanted because he did turn me to stone that time. Or was at least involved in it," Lucy said, patting the other woman on the shoulder lightly. "But I do know that the worst fight Natsu and I ever had, and I mean worst, since getting together was kinda like this. We just blew up at each other and then, the next day, I had him and Happy at my feet, trying to apologize."

Lisanna was never one for hearing about how perfect the life Natsu was forging with Lucy was, but to hear about one of its darker sides? Yes, please.

"What did you two fight over?" Lisanna asked slowly, glancing up at Lucy, her blue eyes glistening slightly. "Lucy?"

"It's kinda…silly," she said then, making a face before glancing up at her friend. "It… Well, Natsu has a lot of annoying habits. You know? And he needs a lot of attention most of the time. That's probably the biggest habit. And one day, I was supposed to hangout with Erza. It was already planned and everything. I even told him that I was going to. But then, he sprang it on me that he had plans for us."

Lisanna blinked. "That's the fight?"

Blushing, Lucy said, "Not just that. It started with that. Because, see, Happy was there and you know how he likes to pick at me."

"Yeah," Lisanna mumbled. "I've noticed."

"And he kept it up too, even though I was getting upset with Natsu, who was saying that I just didn't care about our relationship and all this other stuff. So I sort of just…exploded. At him. Both of them, really."

"And then what?"

"Well, I started complaining about how they just use me. For food and a place to stay and that neither of them really treats me well. And that Happy's usually rude to me for no reason. Then Natsu got upset, which was odd, I know, but he gets real mad when I tell him that he treats me badly, and said that I was just a spoiled girl that wanted everyone to constantly do whatever she wanted. And when I didn't get my way, I'd cry or run off until I did."

"Really?" Lisanna asked. "Natsu said that to you?"

She nodded slightly. "So then I started yelling at him, about all he cares about is Happy and finding Igneel and doesn't care anything about me. And then he told me that he couldn't care for me, when all I ever did was complicate his life. When all I ever did was make things harder on him. That I had to be the worst teammate ever because most of the time wasn't spent on the job, but rather trying to keep me out of trouble."

"Wow."

"Yeah. And then I started crying and Happy tried to comfort me, but Natsu was still pissed and just walked out, so Happy went with him…for about ten minutes. Then he was trying to get back into the apartment, but I wouldn't let him in. I even locked my window so they couldn't get in that way. Closed my blinds."

"And then what?"

"Well, I didn't even go meet Erza for our plans. I just stayed in my apartment and moped. Cried some. Then, the next day, when I left my apartment, I ran into Natsu and Happy. They'd been hanging around all morning, apparently. And I just told them that I didn't want to be a part of a team that I was only bringing down and that I never wanted to see either of them again."

"You told them that?"

"Mmmhmm. And then Natsu started trying to tell me that he loved me and that he was just upset, that was all. And Happy apologized. He even tried to give me a fish."

"Cute."

"It would have been, had I not been so pissed still. I only told Natsu that I was done with him and to never talk to me again. And I ignored them too, that whole day. And the next day. Then, on the third day, I sort of caved."

"Why?"

She sighed slightly. "Well…"

"What?"

"I, you know, missed him. And there's no way that we really couldn't be on a team together anymore. I would practically have to leave Fairy Tail if I broke up with him. He's the one that brought me there, you know, when we first met. He's… I'm stuck with him. And he's stuck with me." Then she giggled. "And when I went to apologize for acting that way, he only hugged me and promised me never to fight with me again. And Happy only laid up on my head, like he does Natsu, and said that he was sorry too. Of course, we were fighting again, Happy and I, by the end of the day, but that's just to be expected, really."

Lisanna sat there for a moment before frowning. "Lucy?"

"Mmmm?"

"…I really don't think that has anything to do with me or my situation. Like at all."

"Yeah," she sighed. "I thought so about half way through, but-"

"Are you guys in here?"

Then, her bedroom door was opening again and Natsu was walking in once more. At the sight of the two women on the end of the bed, he only groaned. "Lucy, Laxus totally hurt me for no reason whatsoever."

"No reason, huh?"

"Nope," he said with a shake of his head. "But I'll totally get him next time."

And just like that, Natsu came over to the bed, jumping into it without a second thought.

"Natsu," Lucy shrieked as Lisanna only blushed. "Do you have no manners? Seriously?"

He only groaned, laying against the pillows. Then, turning his head slightly, he mumbled, "Your bed smells like you, Lisanna."

"What else would it smell like?" she asked, still flustered. "Natsu, maybe you should get-"

"Mmmm," he sighed, turning his head to the side then. "I'm tired. Laxus punches like a beast."

"That doesn't mean that you can just barge in here, Natsu." Lucy reached over to poke his side. "Seriously. Get up. You're being rude."

"Lisanna don't care." He turned his head to bury it back into the pillows, letting out a slow breath. "Can one of you make me something to eat? I'm kinda hungry."

"Natsu," Lucy complained. "Really, you-"

"Natsu," Pappa called then, flying out of Lisanna's hands. Natsu lifted and turned his head at that, glancing over at the doll.

"Oh, hey. Isn't that one of Bickslow's…thingies?"

"It is," Lisanna sighed as she stood slowly. Lucy was still poking her boyfriend's side though. After Pappa landed on her head, she sighed and glanced back over at them.

"Hey, guys? I think…I think I want to be alone for awhile, huh?" Lisanna went over to her door, staring at them again. "Sorry. I don't think I wanna hangout today. That's all."

"You sure?" Lucy asked as she stood, grabbing Natsu by the foot before dragging him off the bed with a loud oof.

"Mmmhmm."

"No fair," Natsu complained as Lucy promptly drug him out of the room, no doubt giving him carpet burn in the process. "How come the doll gets to stay?"

After they were gone, Lisanna only went to lay down on her bed once more, putting it out of her mind that only moments before, Natsu had been there. Sure, his girlfriend had been in the room and he had not been the least bit interested in her, but still. It had been something.

* * *

"Mmmm. You like it, Laxus?"

He opened his mouth when Mira held out the big spoon towards him, a bit of her stew on the end. When he nodded, she only giggled before going back to stirring the pot. He only went back to chopping up the vegetables while Lisanna, who was at the table, sighed.

"Did you wanna taste, Lisanna?" Mirajane asked, glancing over at her. The younger woman only shook her head.

"No," she sighed. "I'm just-"

"Taste," Pappa chanted as he flew around. "Taste."

Growling then, Laxus said, "When the hell are we getting rid of that thing?"

"Now, now, Laxus. You get upset when Elfman asks the same thing about you."

"Mira-"

"Bickslow gave it to me," Lisanna told them softly as Pappa came to land on the table in front of her. "He left it on the doorstep."

Laxus grunted. "Tell him to leave more cake."

"Laxus."

"What, Mira? I liked that cake."

Lisanna only shifted to rest her head against the table with a sigh. "He hasn't brought me anything else tonight. Maybe Pappa was the last gift?"

"Last gift," Pappa repeated. "Last gift."

"He'll want him back, I'm sure," Mirajane told her.

"I know. I think that he's going to try and make me see him by giving him back. But I won't."

"We can't keep it," Mira said.

"Yeah," Laxus grumbled as he turned to scrap the vegetables into the pot. "What would it even eat?"

"He doesn't eat, Laxus," Lisanna sighed. "He just…exists."

"Well, does it poop? Because-"

"If he doesn't eat, how could he poop? And you've been on jobs before with Bickslow, so wouldn't you know all this?"

"I don't pay attention to him and his creepy dolls."

Pappa made a noise then, at the sound of his master's name. "Papa."

"Lisanna, you can't keep him and you know it," Mira told her, frowning over at her sister. "And if you want him to leave you alone, really leave you alone, then I'll talk to him. Do you want that?"

"No," she grumbled. "That would only make me look even more like a kid."

"Let Ever tell him to fuck off," Laxus suggested then as he pressed a kiss to Mira's head before going to get a beer from the fridge. "They're close."

"No, I-"

"Where are Evergreen and Elfman?" Mira asked then. "I haven't seen them all day. Not even at the guild."

"Maybe they took a job," Laxus suggest. Lisanna only shut her eyes then.

"I wanna take a job," she mumbled. "And get away from here."

"Then maybe you can look at the board tomorrow, huh?" Mirajane asked. "That would be good for you. Get out of the house."

"Well, if Elfman's gone, then I'd have to go alone."

"Hmmm." Mira thought about that one for a moment, frowning. "If you wanted to go alone, I guess, you could. I mean, you always tell me to let you make your own decisions."

Reaching out, Lisanna stroked Pappa's head. "I just want to get away from Magnolia. Bickslow and…and Natsu."

"You and this Salamander shit needs to get finished. I'm tired of hearing about it," Laxus told her as he popped the tab on his drink. "Seriously."

"Behave," Mira told him to which the man only grunted before turning to walk out of the room. Then, to her sister, she said, "Is there something that you want me to do, Lisanna?"

"No," she groaned. "I'm fine. I'm just…sad, I guess."

"Well, don't be. Huh? You couldn't have thought the first guy you were with would be the last. Did you?"

"No. Not at first. But I did kinda like Bickslow," she admitted. "He was a lot of fun. And he was really…sweet. Before. And-"

"Do you wanna get back with him?" Mira was finished with messing with the stew then and walked over to the table to take a seat. "Because I think it's clear that he wants to get back with you."

"I dunno," she said with a shake of her head. "I liked him, before, but then he had to go and say all those things. Now I'm just… I dunno. I'm angry at him, still."

"Hurt," Mira agreed. "You're hurt that he was rude to you."

"I guess so."

"You know," she said slowly. "Laxus and I have broken up before."

"No, you haven't. You've just told him to stay away for a week, he'll go on a job, come back with a gift, and you'll be back together before the next week starts."

"That's true," Mira admitted with a giggle. "But it doesn't mean that at the time I'm really ready to break up with him. But I never do. Not really."

"Why?"

"Because…I love him."

Just then, they heard Laxus belch from somewhere else in the house before calling for Mira to bring him another beer.

"I love parts of him," Mirajane corrected as she stood to go do as Laxus had asked. "And even the parts I don't like I find cute."

"My fucking beer, woman?" Laxus growled from somewhere else.

"So cute," Lisanna mumbled as Mira only giggled, rushing off to do as Laxus asked.

"It balances out," she called over her shoulder to Lisanna. "He might be gruff and angry most of the time, but by the same token, he wouldn't ever let anything happen to me. He won't really hurt me. And I'm no angel either."

"You're a demon."

"You have no idea," she said, giggling as she walked out of the room. Lisanna only shifted though, keeping a hand on Pappa, as if to calm him. She knew that he had to be worried about Bickslow. She was a little shocked, to be honest, that the man had left the doll there. He usually was so caring about them.

"Do you know, Pappa? Why he brought you?" She sat up a little to look at the wooden doll. "Huh?"

"See Lisanna," the doll told him. "Miss Lisanna."

"You missed me?"

"Lisanna."

She picked the doll up then, holding him in her palm. "But you want to go back to your daddy, don't you?"

"Papa."

"And it would be wrong of me, I know, to keep you here as a hostage or something. You're not just magic. You're…you're a soul. And you should be with Bickslow. You love him. And I'm a horrible person for ever thinking otherwise."

"Naked Lisanna."

She blinked. "You're a little annoying though, I will admit that."

Just then, the backdoor opened and in walked Elfman and Evergreen. They were talking to one another, but upon the sight of Lisanna, they fell silent.

"Hey, Lisanna," Ever said slowly, dropping her hand from Elfman's arm, where it had been resting previously.

"Hey."

"Your sister around?"

"She went to bring Laxus a beer."

Elfman frowned then, coming further into the house. "So not only does he drink my beers, he makes my sister serve him?"

"What else is new?" Ever sighed, going to check what was in the pot. "She made stew, Elf. You wanna stay and eat that or do you want to go out?"

"It's whatever you want," he told her, headed over to Lisanna. When he patted her on the head, he said simply, "Did you get another cake?"

"Elfman, leave her alone," Ever complained, making a face at him. Then, turning, she saw Pappa there and frowned. "What's the doll doing there?"

"It was his latest gift."

"What kinda man gives a woman a doll instead of another cake?"

"Elf," Lisanna sighed. "And Pappa wanted to come see me. He missed me."

Ever only sighed, stirring Mira's stew for her. "Well, Lisanna, I have to say, this is a first."

"What is?"

"Bickslow giving away one of his babies," Evergreen said with a shake of her head. "Unheard of."

"Who cares what that guy does?" Elfman complained. "Breaking up with my sister is not manly. And you need a man, Lisanna. Don't be like Mira. Don't be with someone like Laxus."

"The hell you saying about me, Elf _boy_?"

And just like that, Mira was coming back into the room, her arms wrapped around one of Laxus' arms as she drug him with her. In his other hand was a beer can, which he took a sip from while he was at it.

"Behave," Mira giggled, tugging Laxus along. "And good, Elfman and Evergreen are here."

"Why's that a good thing?" Laxus grumbled as Elfman only took to glaring at him. "Just means I gotta share this damn stew."

"Stop cursing so much," Mirajane ordered as she led him over to a chair, setting him down in it. Once he was seated, she went to drag her brother into a chair as well. Evergreen, seeing this, rolled her eyes before going to claim the last chair. Mira, happy with this, jumped into Laxus' lap.

"What is up with you?" he asked her with a frown as he sat his beer down. "Mira-"

"We have a very important family matter to discuss," she said as Lisanna frowned. "Whether or not-"

"We ain't family," Laxus told her stiffly.

"I would never have such an unmanly person in my family," Elfman agreed. Evergreen only straightened her glasses.

"And I have no attachment to any of you. Believe me."

"We  _are_  all family and we have a family matter to discuss. Now I can scold you all for your resistance to this, or we can just get it over with," Mirajane told them.

"No need for that," Laxus mumbled.

"Now," Mira said, tossing an arm over her boyfriend's shoulders before continuing. "We're going to help Lisanna here decide if she should take Bickslow back."

"Mira-" Lisanna said, blushing. "I-"

"I vote no," Elfman said easily.

"Elf-"

"I told you, you need a man."

Laxus only shook his head. "If it'll get me out of here and you're all going to vote no, then fine, I vote no too."

"You cannot-"

"We can't decide her life for her," Evergreen told them both with a frown.

"Thank-"

"But," she went on, cutting off the youngest woman. "I think you're both cute together, so I vote yes."

"And if it gets me a chance to play with his babies," Mira said as Pappa cheered, "then I vote yes!"

"It's not a vote," Lisanna complained.

"How could you vote yes, Mira, to someone that called her names?" Elfman complained, frowning over at his older sister. "He ain't no man. Lisanna needs a real man! Someone to take care of her."

Snorting, Laxus said, "He just fucks around with chicks for awhile, gets bored with them, and then ditches them. Don't start feeling special over there, Lisanna."

"You're one to talk," Evergreen said, making a face at him. "You were the same way before Mira."

"That's a good point. Now you're a big softie," Mira giggled.

"I am the fuck not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Behave."

"Mira-"

"While we're on the subject," Elfman went on. "I vote for you to break up with Laxus."

"Excuse me?" Laxus, who had moved to pick up his beer, slammed it back down. "You wanna say that again, you freak?"

"You-"

"Stop it, Elfman." Evergreen made a face at him as Mira shifted in Laxus' lap so that she could grab his mouth, getting him to look at her.

"Behave," she told him harshly.

Lisanna was dismayed then as they broke out into a quarrel over something so silly, but Pappa distracted her from it. Suddenly, he jumped out of her hands and fluttered out of the room. Confused, she rushed after him, no one noticing as they were too busy arguing.

"Pappa," she called as he headed to the living room before over to the front door, which he promptly banged himself against. "What are you doing?"

Confused, she rushed to open the door. There was no one there, but it didn't stop Pappa from rushing away, right out the door. On the doorstep was another box of chocolates, but Lisanna stepped over those and she rushed to chase the doll down.

"Pappa," she called as he rushed away. "Come back here!"

Pappa was flying quickly through the air though, down her street before down another. Eventually though, he stopped, almost suddenly.

"Papa," he whined as he floated in the air, confused. He had no doubt been trying to track Bickslow, who must have dropped the gift off, but had lost him. "Papa."

When Lisanna was close enough, Pappa came back to her, dropping into her hands.

"You want your daddy, don't you?" she asked softly as the doll stilled in her hands. Then, letting out a slow breath, she continued walking. "Come, Pappa. Time to go home."

 


	7. Chapter 7

  


"-tell me that he thinks that I shouldn't be with my woman? Fuck that. I don't think you should be with Ever."

"You're not a man! Your words have no value to me!"

"Boys, enough," Ever groaned as she laid with her head against the table, it pounding slightly from all the yelling. "Honestly, you two-"

They didn't hear her though as they continued to stand there, the table between them, as they glared at one another. Mirajane was standing too, off to the side, a hand against her lips as she watched, as if transfixed.

"Oh dear," she whispered. "I never expected this. And all over-"

"I'm the fucking man in this house," Laxus growled, snarling his lips back to show off in canines. "You're just the little boy who cries every time anyone doesn't-"

"Crying is manly!"

"If this is all we're going to do tonight, Elfman, I think I'm going to leave." Evergreen slowly lifted her head then, trying to force her boyfriend to make eye contact with her. He wouldn't. "Alright?"

"Don't leave, Evergreen," Mira said, frowning slightly. "They're just playing. Right, guys?"

"I'll fucking rip your head off."

"You're not enough of a man to do that!"

"And," Mirajane went on, speaking louder in order to be heard over the sound of the two of them arguing. "We haven't finished with Lisanna. I mean, how is she supposed to know to get back with Bickslow if we don't-"

"Uh, Mira? Look around. Lisanna fled," Evergreen said as she went over to the pot of stew to get herself a bowl to go. "And believe me, Mira, when I say that we are the last people that Lisanna would want deciding something like that."

"Of course we are. We're her family. And we-"

"It doesn't matter what man she brings into this family," Ever told her as she headed to the backdoor. Then, nodding over at Elfman and Laxus, she said, "So long as he can hold his own in a fight, he'll fit right in."

After she left, Mira got a little concerned about where Lisanna had run off to, afraid that they had upset or offended her. As she was leaving the kitchen though, the real scuffle between her brother and boyfriend broke out. She heard them fighting then and turned to walk back in…just as Laxus shot off a strike of lightening or something and hit her pot of stew. The force was enough to send it flying.

And it wasn't the fact that he'd gotten stew everywhere. Oh no. It was the fact that she'd gotten off early, just to make Lisanna some stew to help her feel better and they'd ruined it. And over what? A fight? A stupid little argument?

"You bit dopes!" Suddenly, Mirajane was back in full force, her eyes darkening quickly. "I made that for Lisanna!"

Laxus, who'd shoved Elfman off him, only made a face at her. "It was just some damn stew, stupid. So- Oh, Mira."

The crying wasn't immediate. Her fleeting anger was dissipating quickly though and it always left her all mopey.

"Nice going," Elfman grumbled as he pushed himself up. "Now you made big sis cry. Real men wouldn't do that!"

"I'm not stupid," Mirajane yelled at both of them through her tears. She wasn't. And she really, really hated when anyone said otherwise. "I'm not. You're both stupid! You're so stupid that you scared Lisanna off. Thanks a lot. Stupids!"

"Stupids isn't a-"

Laxus only shook his head at Elfman. It was not a good time for a grammar lesson.

As they were busy trying to console their little demon, Lisanna was trying to deflate some of the happiness her little doll was feeling.

"Papa," Pappa was cheering as they neared the man's apartment. He was no doubt beginning to recognize some of the scenery. "Papa."

"Alright, Pappa," Lisanna sighed as he fluttered around. "Be good. We're almost there."

Oh, he knew. He more than knew. It was rare that he and the other dolls were separated from Bickslow for more than an hour or two at most, much less each other. Though he'd wanted to go see Lisanna, now that he had, he wanted nothing more than to be with the other dolls and his daddy again. They were all he really knew, after all.

But Lisanna was not nearly as excited about going to the apartment. Mainly because she still wasn't sure what she wanted. An apology would be a nice place to start, but even after she got it, then what? Did she really want to try dating Bickslow again? She wasn't sure.

The only thing that was for certain for her was that she wanted those few days back. They'd been…stellar. Unlike any other. She felt really happy then. But if it was going to be like that, euphoria that would only be taken out from under your feet at the most inopportune moments, then no, she definitely didn't want to get back with Bickslow. No way.

Did it have to be that way though? She wasn't sure. It wasn't like she had a butt load of experience to go off. She knew that Evergreen and Elfman didn't fight very often, but they were rather odd to begin with. They refused, at times, to even acknowledge the other, but you get a little alcohol in them and they were all over one another. And just let Elfman even so much as glance at another woman. Ever would flip, even if only moments before she'd claimed to not even think of him as a friend.

So they were too weird to be considered in the study.

And Laxus and Mirajane weren't much better. They were polar opposites on the outside. But when they were alone, they were just alike. Mirajane had one goal in mind; keeping her siblings safe. And Laxus wasn't too far off. He just wanted to keep Mira protected. And yeah, when they fought, it was practically cataclysmic. There was yelling and throwing off things, any thing, and Laxus would take all his stuff from the house or she'd gather her things from his apartment and they'd refuse to speak to one another. He wouldn't even go up to the guild for days at a time, even if he needed something, just to avoid her.

But then she'd miss him and seek him out, promising never to act like a raving lunatic again. Or he'd get cold in the middle of the night and show up on their doorstep, claiming softly, hoping only she could hear, that he needed her to sleep at night. That when she wasn't all snuggled up to him, he'd toss and turn and have nightmares. And Mirajane didn't want her little-wittle dragon slayer to have bad dreams, did she? He needed his demon to scare the monsters away.

They were sick, Laxus and Mira were. They had to be. Lisanna and Elfman got ill just from eavesdropping on them (which they did constantly).

So no, no matter how in love she was with a guy, Lisanna never  _ever_  wanted to be like Laxus and her sister. Ew. Gross.

Then there was Juvia and Gray, but that relationship was so far from anything in her realm of possibilities for herself that she didn't even consider it. And of course, there was Cana and Bacchus, who recently had begun meeting up in different places to get drunk and then screw.

Maybe that was the closest to the relationship that she currently had. There were no commitments, not really, and there were no rules. Cana could do whatever she wanted when Bacchus wasn't around and vice versa. There was no jealousy and no questioning. They were together when they were, well, together and when they weren't, they just weren't. It was easy, simple, and as far as she knew, worked like perfection.

For them anyhow.

But she had felt, as much as she hated to admit it, special. Or at least she thought she thought she had been, to Bickslow. But maybe it was all just another game to him? And the only reason that he was trying to get her back was because he wasn't finished with it yet?

Or maybe because he thought it would smooth things over with Laxus if he was at least kind to her. Stayed with her for another week or two and let her be the one to break it off with him, in a more controlled, mature way. Could that be it?

She didn't want that to be it. She wanted him to want her back because, well, because he'd had as much fun as she had those few days. Because he wanted to be around her, wanted to hangout, wanted to stay up late and talk or go for walks or just be near each other. Because in those few days, that's exactly what she had wanted. Exactly. But apparently, that week had been enough for him.

There was another, a very more prominent relationship that, of course, was also sticking out in her mind. One that she didn't even really like to think about, but obviously craved for herself. Had wanted since she was a child.

It just was too perfect, all of it, the way that Natsu and Lucy were with one another. Almost fake. As if a flaw was right in front of all their noses and somehow they were just missing it.

But there wasn't one. Or at least there didn't appear to be. Because even that garb that Lucy had thrown at her earlier, about how they'd almost broken up before, meant nothing. Because they didn't. And within three days, they were right back with one another, happy and content, being the prodigy couple that everyone secretly scorned.

Or at least she secretly scorned them. Because they had it all. They were both gorgeous, had personalities that overly complimented one another, both got along great, were part of the best team in all of Fairy Tail. There was hardly anything wrong with them at all.

And it should have been her. It should have been her and Natsu, together forever. He should have been her dragon slayer, not Lucy's. And they'd have been so happy together. Wouldn't they have been? They always had been. Even when they were kids and were playing house with Happy, they'd been overly content. Sure, at times Natsu would get a little frustrated or embarrassed by her insistence that they be together always, but hadn't he loved her back? She knew that he had. He had to have.

Then how could he just be with Lucy? And be so…optimal with her? They legitimately were the best couple in all of Fairy Tail. They were wholly devoted to one another. Neither so much as ever flirted with another person. They were together nearly the entire day every day, yet they were slow to anger. And how could that be, anyhow?

Every silly little thing Natsu did, Lucy got annoyed with. Totally. But Lisanna, she was in love with all his childish antics. All of them. She honestly thought every single thing he did was cute or creative. She just got him in a way that someone like Lucy never could.

But it didn't matter. He didn't care that Lucy got upset when he danced around on the tables in the guildhall or was annoyed when he'd track mud all through her apartment. He didn't care that Lisanna straight up craved the attention he showered upon Lucy, who at times acted indifferently to it. It just didn't matter.

Because he wanted Lucy. And Lucy wanted him. And she wanted-

"I want Bickslow."

It was a whisper, really, something that shouldn't have left her mouth. Her brain should have held on to that one.

But did that not make it all the more true? If she couldn't even keep it to herself?

Because…maybe it was time to face that facts. Natsu belonged to Lucy for the time being. And that didn't mean it would be forever. That didn't even mean it would last another year. But it also didn't mean that she should just waste her life, waiting around for him to realize how alike they were and how much they really belonged together.

Because then she just might miss who she really belonged with.

And maybe it wasn't Bickslow. That was fine. At the moment though, he was just the one that was in front of her. And even though the past two days had been horrible and she'd been miserable without him, before that had been…well…the closest to what Natsu and Lucy had that she'd ever been. And if that's what she was striving for, if that's what she really wanted, then maybe she should just take Natsu out of the equation and just go for the relationship with someone else.

When they finally made it to the apartment, Pappa couldn't contain himself. He was flying all around as they walked into the building and up the stairs to Bickslow's floor. It'd have been easier to take the elevator, but Lisanna just wanted some more time to think. A deep part of her was hoping that when they got there he wouldn't be. And maybe he'd have left his place unlocked so she could just stash Pappa in there and leave.

But then she'd feel bad for poor Pappa. He had given up on a day with his papa and the other dolls just to be with her. She really hadn't been aware that the dolls liked her that much. She knew that they thought she was fun and that she was a good buffer for just having Bickslow to play with all day, but really, she hadn't done much for them. For them to actually seek her out, even if it was only one of them, well, that was just amazing.

Still though, walking back into that apartment was not something she was looking forward to. She had told herself when she left that night, in tears over how rude he'd been to her, that she'd never return. He'd hurt her, after all. He really had. No one had ever been that mean to her. Ever.

And there's no way that they would be considering who her sister and brother were. Not to mention now that Laxus and Evergreen were in the mix, she was pretty well protected. But Bickslow hadn't cared about any of that. Because there was no avoiding the fact that she'd hurt him too.

And she had. Hadn't she? She was pretty sure. And maybe that's what made everything that happened that night invalid. Sure, there were things that you said that couldn't be taken back, things that had a tad bit of truth intermingled in them that kept you from ever trusting the other person again. So yes, maybe Lisanna had gone out that first night, looking for someone,  _anyone_  to give her some amount of attention. And yeah, she had just been looking for a substitute for Natsu.

But so what? Even though he'd said it, it wasn't anything that in the darkness of her own mind she hadn't admitted to herself before. It was true. It was  _so_  true. And could she really blame him for being honest? Even if his honesty was only veiled as a hurtful remark?

Because if he really thought that, if he really did think he was just a substitute, for her sister, brother, and Natsu, then didn't he have a right to be a little sour towards her?

And then she was on his floor, then in front of his door, and she didn't get a chance to knock before Pappa was banging himself against the door loud enough to constitute as such a thing.

"Pappa, calm down," she complained, frowning up at the baby. "It's been a day. Not even that. Honestly, stop it."

But then the door was opening and Bickslow was standing there and he looked  _so hot_  because his hair was still styled and his helmet was off and he wasn't wearing any of that usual junk. Just a pair of jeans and no shirt and she wanted him. And…and…and…

Oh, goodness. Is that why it's so hard for Mira and Laxus to break up? Because just the sight of one another makes them feel what she was feeling? If so, then she owed them some apologies. Because, gah! There was no willpower in the world, none that she herself could ever possess at least, that could make her withstand those feelings.

"Papa!" Pappa flung himself into Bickslow's bare chest, making a horrible smacking noise when he collided with the flesh. When he backed up some, Lisanna saw the massive welt it'd left.

"Pappa," Bickslow complained as the doll then flew passed him and over to the other babies, who were equally excited to see him. "Buddy, too rough."

Then it was just Lisanna and Bickslow, standing there, on opposite sides of the door and all she could do was stare at his chest, where Pappa had slammed into him, and hope that he was okay. It was a silly thing to think, really. Bickslow was, after all, one of the toughest guys around. A member of the Thunder God Tribe. It wouldn't have hurt him that much.

But still. She didn't like the way it bruised almost immediately. He had to have at least felt it somewhat. Right?

But then he was speaking and her eyes drifted from his welt and up to his face. His eyes.

"Thought you'd show up eventually. You-"

"Are you a complete asshole or what?"

Those words had just come out too. Right out of her usually so pure mouth. Huh.

"Wh-What?" He was taken aback then, but she wasn't finished. He'd been the one to open the dialogue, but he was in no way the one to control it.

"You have to be, like, the worst father ever. Do you know how scared he was? How upset? And then you just freaking came over, left more stuff, and didn't pick him up?" She couldn't help it. It really had upset her, the way that he'd just left Pappa behind when the souls loved him so much. They needed him. They craved him. And he had just given one to her? Someone that a month ago he wouldn't even call a friend? "They're your babies, Bickslow. Not toys. And you-"

"Sheesh, woman. If you're going to start yelling, at least come in," he grumbled, reaching out to grab the finger she was wagging at him and using it to pull her into the apartment, slamming the door behind her. "It's the middle of the fucking night."

Then she was in there, in his apartment once more, and the babies were calling her name, overly excited to see her again. And Pappa was floating around, glad to be home, even coming to rest on Bickslow's shoulder after a moment.

His papa just kept staring down Lisanna though, whose temper was usually sporadic and was already fading. She was only standing there then, flushed from her outburst as well as that her embarrassment over being around him once more. Bickslow was only waiting though, thinking there was more to her anger. When there proved not to be, he spoke.

"I don't get you, kid," he said then, almost glaring at her. "I give you one of my babies for the day, I buy you a cake, flowers, all that jazz. You know? Most women would take a guy back in a second. Especially after one fight. After all that work I put into-"

"All that work?" Some of her fight was returning then. "What work? Huh? What have you done, Bickslow, that-"

"What have I done? Are you serious? I've-"

"You haven't even had the courage to talk to me. To apologize. You-"

"What do you think all those presents were, Lisanna?"

"Nothing as far as I'm concerned," she told him with a scowl. "That's not an I'm sorry, Bickslow. That's just trying to buy me off."

"It is not. I was-"

"You were trying to get me to forget that I'm upset. But I'm not going to, Bickslow." She was glaring at him then as she said, "You were wrong to me. You did me way wrong. You-"

"Last time I checked, Lissy, you weren't too freaking clean in all this either."

"Don't call me that!"

"And why the heck not? Huh? I'll call you whatever I want." He crossed his arms then. "I didn't see you coming, barging my door down either."

"What heck do you call this, Bickslow? I came here and-"

"Only one of us could go to the other, kid. And if I had gone to you first, what? Would I be able to be mad that you didn't come to me? Huh? No. So-"

Just then, there was the sound of wood cracking. It was rather loud too. Both of them turned at the sound, finding the source easily.

In all their over excitement, the babies had begun flying around. And when Bickslow and Lisanna started arguing, well, they had gotten a little frenzied and gone crazy. In the process, Pippi and Poppo had flown in to each other at a high speed, much like Pappa had done to Bickslow's chest. Only their bodies, while durable, did have a tendency to crack at times. And at the moment, Pippi was lying with one of his wings broken off and Poppo had been spit in half.

"Oh no," Lisanna whispered, shocked for a moment while Bickslow only rushed over. He raised a hand and quickly did something. Not a moment later, a coffee mug that had been left on the table became airborne, the remnants of whatever he'd been drinking flying everywhere as whichever baby was now in control of it went crazy.

"Behave, Pippi," Bickslow growled as another cup on the coffee table began to move around. "Both of you. All of you, really. Daddy has to go make new bodies."

He was completely ignoring her then as he headed into his bedroom. Curiosity won out and, instead of just leaving or waiting for him in the living room, Lisanna followed.

Bickslow was over by his closet, reaching up to the top shelf in there and pulling down a shoe box. Setting it on the ground, he then reached up again and pulled down some tiny bottles of paint. Without even looking at Lisanna, he eventually growled, "You gonna help or what, kid?"

She froze for a moment, just staring at him, before coming closer. Neither had turned on the light and it was nearly completely dark in the room. There was some moonlight streaming in from the window, but most of the light came from the cracked bedroom door, which was allowing the lamp that was on in the living room to give them a sliver of light.

Coming closer to him, she slowly dropped down onto her knees when he did it first, right in front of the little box. He only moved to open it, revealing a plethora of those same little wooden bodies that his babies sported.

"I buy in bulk," he whispered softly, his tone taking a softer pitch. Still, he only reached into the box and pulled two of the dolls out. Then, settling them on the ground, he went back into the box to pull out a paint brush.

"Go get a paper plate from the kitchen," he told her then. "And a cup of water. Quickly. And leave the babies out there. They only end up knocking over the paint when they're around."

Slowly, she pushed up and went to do as he asked. The babies were still floating around in the living room, making happy noises as Pippi continued to spill liquid everywhere. She figured they'd clean it up later.

When she got back to him, Bickslow already had the caps off some of the bottles and was awaiting her. When she gave him the paper plate, he immediately poured some of the paints on it before getting to work mixing them. He was a pro at it by that point, the self appointed master in a game that no one else ever got to play.

She wasn't much help, really. She more or less just sat there, watching him as he worked. He did it with such precession, much more concentration than he ever gave anything else in his life.

He really cared about those dolls, after all.

There were no words spoken between them as he worked. She only sat on her knees, watching. He wouldn't even look at her. Just the little dolls. He did Pippi first. And when his was finished, he started on Poppo.

"There," he said eventually, setting the doll down on the floor, next to the other complete one. "Now they just have to dry. Else the babies will smear the paint."

And then they were just sitting there, next to each other, in otherwise darkened and desolate bedroom.

"You kept the floor clean," she whispered weakly at one point. He only kept staring at her though.

"Of course I did,' he told her softly. "We cleaned it up together, after all."

And he was just so close to her. And when she tilted her head just right and when he did the same and then they were and it was and…oh.

He was over her and she thought she'd never feel that again, not with him. But he wasn't done. And he was kissing her, but that was okay, because she was kissing him back. There was more, of course there was more. It had been building in her that whole time. The tumultuous sorrow and angst that she'd felt since their fight was changing then, shifting, back into those same feelings that had confused her from the beginning.

Lust. That was more than likely what it was. What Mirajane would say it was. And she was fine with calling that. It was only a word. It didn't do it justice, however, whatever it was that she was feeling, what he was doing to her, but it was a fine word. As good as any other.

And it should have felt awkward, down there on his bedroom floor, right next to the future bodies of Pippi and Poppo, but it didn't. Not even when they could hear the babies out in the living room, through the cracked door, snickering and floating around. Because it was so easy to block it out, block everything out. For Lisanna at least. Just so long as he kept doing that  _thing_  with his fingers. Oh, she'd be fine.

"Bickslow," she whispered as one point, almost hurriedly. His head was down in her neck, but at the sound of his name, he lifted it some.

"Mmmm?" He was rubbing against her leg and just… Gah!

"I want to," she whispered. He only blinked.

"Want to?"

"Please?"

And then he was laughing, rather loudly. But as not to get the babies worried and coming in there to ruin their fun, he hid his chuckles in her neck. And his jeans, which he'd only wiggled down to his ankles, were being kicked off then. He just as quickly moved to pull his wallet out of his pocket then and pull a little foil package from it.

And Lisanna only closed her eyes. It was just all too much.

Once it was over and he was done and she was beyond done, he only laid there, snuggling her and promising never to fight again. And she just let him make a fool of himself, because what difference did it make? It had been…different than the first time, but she still hadn't rather liked it. Maybe she just needed more practice?

"I missed you, Lissy," he was mumbling against her ear. He didn't sound very grownup then. To miss someone after only a few days. But she just let it go, didn't bring it up to him. Because maybe his insistence that she be so mature, act like an adult was just a cover for the fact that even though he had years on her, he still was just as childish and juvenile as she'd ever been.

She only laid there though, letting him kiss and cuddle her. She didn't feel like she could do much else. She really, really, just wanted to go home and think about it all, but he didn't seem like he was releasing her any time soon. Or ever, really.

"Bickslow."

And his face was over hers again then, as he stared down into her blue eyes. She only grinned slightly though, his face tattoo darkened by the shadowy room, hiding it from her. He almost looked normal.

But he wasn't normal. He was Bickslow. And she was…

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her then, dropping his head again so it was near her ear. "So sorry. I shouldn't have said that about you. Huh?"

Relaxing was the only sign she gave him of her contentment then. Really, she was thinking about her own home, her own shower, and her own bed.

The moment lasted forever it seemed…until it was over. And one of the babies had knocked something over and Bickslow was standing, angry at them for running the moment. He only slipped on his boxers before growling and heading out there.

"One of you better not be broke again, 'cause I ain't makin' another one tonight!"

Lisanna only laid there, on her back, staring up at his ceiling. It was an awkward feeling, as her shorts were still down, around her knees and her shirt had only been unbuttoned, her bra not even unfastened. Her head hurt.

Sitting up, she just pressed a hand to it with a groan. Sex was so weird.

Then she was standing and reorganizing herself again. No need for the babies to learn a new word. For some reason, Naked Lisanna didn't sound half as bad as Scantily Dressed Lisanna. Go figure.

 


	8. Chapter 8

  


When Lisanna got home that night, it was rather late. She sort of felt bad, too, for walking out on the dinner that Mirajane had prepared. Upon entering the kitchen though, she could find no trace of the stew. She looked in the fridge, but there wasn't a bowl to be found. Maybe Laxus and Elfman ate it all?

Deciding to forgo dinner that night, she turned then to head to her bedroom. On the way there though she heard… Was Mirajane crying?

"I just, you know, really, really liked that stew, Laxus." Hiccup.

"I know, Mira. I'm sorry."

"And you guys just ruined it. For no reason!"

"I'm sorry, Mira."

"And I'm not stupid, Laxus."

"Mira, I told you, what? Twelve times in the past hour? You're not. I was wrong."

"I'm smart."

"Completely."

"Smarter than you."

"Totally."

Lisanna smiled slightly, her ear still pressed to her sister's closed bedroom door. Laxus and Mira were so cute sometimes.

"Just getting in?"

She nearly jumped then, at the sound of a voice in the darkness. Turning, she of course just found her big brother there, coming out of the bathroom at the end of the hall. She only smiled softly.

"Yeah, I-"

"Where were you? And what happened to that creepy doll?"

His tone alone was enough to make her hesitant.

"He's not creepy. He's one of Bickslow's babies. And I took him home."

"Then you were with him? That guy?"

"He's not just some guy, Elfman. He's… I'm going to bed, alright?"

"Lisanna-"

"Goodnight, Elf."

She turned and walked away then, to her own bedroom. It was only long enough for Elfman to leave so that she could finally go grab that shower that she hadn't gotten at Bickslow's place. It was a fast one though because, after the day she'd had, all she wanted to do was go to bed.

And she did. The second she got back to her bedroom, she dove into her sheets and slept for a good few hours there. In fact, it was well into the next morning before she awoke.

When she finally did get out of bed, it was to find an empty house. Mira was at work of course and Elfman didn't seem to be around. That was great, as she really didn't feel like discussing the previous night with either of them.

While she was in the kitchen though, making herself something to eat, the sound of belching could be heard. Then, after a moment, a shirtless, jean-clad Laxus appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

"I didn't know you were here," she said as he came closer, to inspect what she was frying in the pan. Apparently not anything he wanted, as he just as quickly went over to the fridge.

"'cause of you," he grumbled, his stomach rumbling as well though that had more to do with his hunger. "I had to clean up some fucking stew and then comfort your damn sister all night while she cried about how no one really loves her and we all just use her."

Lisanna blinked. Then she said simply, "I had to take Pappa home. He-"

"Shut the fuck up and make me these." He brought over a carton of eggs. "All of them."

Making a face, she reached over to open the carton. "Laxus, it's completely full."

"I know. I want a twelve egg omelet. Is that so hard to believe?"

She blinked. Then she sighed. "Laxus-"

"Just make them so I can get out of here, huh? And then you won't see me for probably another two weeks. Ain't that a good enough trade off?"

Sighing, she hurriedly finished her own meal before getting started on his.

"Two weeks?" she asked as he got himself something to drink. By which she meant he went over to the fridge, took out the carton of orange juice, and downed half of it without a glass. That was okay though because he wasn't putting it back. Oh no. After a moment, he finished the rest of it as well. "Where are you going?"

"On a job," he grumbled as he went to take a seat at the table to wait for his food.

"So soon?"

"Got to. Mira broke the bank on our trip. You didn't even see all the things she picked up while we were there. Woman's crazy."

"It's not like you didn't already know that."

"Fuckin' demon."

"I'm sure you got what you wanted on the trip too," Lisanna said. "A t-shirt or something."

He only gave her a sneer. "Oh, I got what I wanted."

"Ew! Laxus."

"Anyways, I want some ham in my omelet," he grumbled, nodding at the fridge. "Get it. And some cheese. And-"

"You could just make your own food, you know."

That only got a grunt. Then, after a moment, he said, "So you were with Bickslow, huh?"

"That's really none of-"

"So what? You two made up already?"

"Well-"

"'cause I deserve another effing cake."

Frowning, she glanced over at him. "What have you done to deserve a cake?"

"It's what I'm going to have to do that makes me deserve it," he grumbled. "Your sister's going to go crazy now that you have a boyfriend. And it being one of my effing bodyguards? Shit, she'll have us having to go out with the two of you, along with freaking Ever and Elf _boy_. It's going to be hell on earth. And when Freed catches wind, he's going to want to come along too and I just can't do that, man. Put up with Mira and Freed at the same time."

"Well," Lisanna said slowly. "It's not like Bickslow and I would really want to go out with you guys anyways. You know? So-"

"You think I want to go out with you two idiots? Please. But you know as well as I do that your sister won't take no for an answer."

"It'd be kinda like a trip date," she said thoughtfully. "Plus Freed."

"Yeah," Laxus grumbled. "Plus Freed."

"He is kinda weird," Lisanna said slowly as she went back to fixing Laxus lunch. "I mean, he's almost like someone you've hooked up with and now is super clingy, huh?"

Laxus narrowed his eyes. "I can't tell if you're trying to imply something about me or make a reference to when I punch stupid Bickslow, but either way, shut the fuck up."

"I'm not trying to imply anything or reference something. I was just saying."

"So what? He sees how awesome I freaking am? Something all you lowly wizards should realize?" He crossed his arms, snorting some. "Now hurry it up. I'm hungry."

"Careful, Laxus," she warned. "The way you're acting, I might just have to have my boyfriend beat you up."

Snort. "Yeah, right. And he ain't your boyfriend. I already warned you. Give it three weeks and he'll be finished with you. So don't get too comfortable, kid."

She wanted to be annoyed with him then, but she couldn't be. Those were the same thoughts she had, anyhow, about the whole thing.

After eating and getting Laxus fed, she headed back up to her room to get ready for the day. Then she had the unpleasant experience of leaving the house at the same time as Laxus.

"You could try walking the long way," he grumbled as they walked side by side down the sidewalk. "Or walk on the other side of the street."

"So could you," she told him, frowning. "Why should I have to change my day for you? After already making you a stupid omelet?"

"Because, kid, I could end your little relationship right now, if I wanted. So don't tempt me, huh?"

"You're, like, the worst big brother ever," she grumbled. "You could at least admit that you're trying to protect me instead of acting indifferent towards me and then inadvertently ruining my life behind my back."

He growled then. "I ain't your brother and I ain't trying to act like it. I already said what Bickslow's going to do to you and you're deciding to be with him anyhow. Good for you. Like I give a shit."

"You clearly do."

"Do not."

"Then why did you tell him to stay away from me? Huh? That's why we fought, really, because you were such a dick that you-"

"I wasn't a dick, Lisanna. I know Bickslow, better than you know him. Way better. And I was only trying to keep you from, you know, getting hurt."

"So you were trying to protect me."

Snort. "Look, if he fucked up your life, you know what it would do to mine? Mira would hate him. She'd probably want me to throw him out of the Thunder God Tribe. So I told him to leave you the hell alone. Not to save you or something dumb like that. Only to save myself. I- Hey! Get off me!"

Lisanna couldn't help it though. She only giggled as she kept her arms wrapped tightly around the Thunder God.

"You're so cute when you're-"

"You got ten seconds, kid, to let me go before you get the shock of your life."

"Sheesh, you sure are sour for a big brother."

He finally shoved her off, though she'd been letting go to begin with. "Just don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart, kid."

"Believe me, I won't." She rolled her eyes. "We're not even… We're just hanging out. And sleeping together. That's all. I mean, not everyone's lke you and Mira."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She only hummed though taking to walking again. Scowling, he headed after her.

"What do you mean, Lisanna?"

"Just that, you know, you and Mira are all serious and stuff. I think it's cute. For you."

"Right. So you're not serious about Bickslow," he said dryly.

"I don't know. At the moment I'm not."

"All the people I know, Lisanna, and you had to take to Bickslow?"

"What do you mean? All the people you know?"

Laxus was looking past her then, over her head, at the sky. "I know tons of guys. And you pick the one that I have to see practically every day?"

"Then what? You wanna…introduce me to people?" She didn't mean to sound excited, but she'd met some of Laxus' friends before. Err, acquaintances. They were usually high ranking wizards from other guilds that he considered worthy of his time. "Like guys you know? Or-"

"You dropping Bickslow that quickly?" Laxus shook his head. "And after that crying jag you went through, I was worried it'd take you forever to get over him."

"I'm not dropping him," she told him with a frown. "But you said that he's going to be done with me soon."

"You sound desperate, kid." Laxus patted her on the head then, having to reach out to do so. "And for no reason."

"What do you mean?" She glanced up at him as he was next to her again, walking slightly faster to keep up.

"You're no Mira," he told her with a shrug of his shoulders. "But… A few guys have asked me about you before."

She blinked. Then she narrowed her eyes. "And you never mentioned it because-"

"Because, Lisanna, I'm not Mira. I'm not a dating service. If they wanna talk to you, they can do it their damn selves."

"Then how come none of them ever have?"

That made him glare at her again. "I don't know, Lisanna. Maybe-"

"Or did you tell them not to?"

"You-"

"Is that it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I told you, I don't give a damn what you do. I was trying to be nice, keep Bickslow off your back. That's it. You can fuck whoever you want."

"Then tell me."

"Huh?"

"The guys," she explained. "Tell me their names. And-"

"You know, kid, you're really getting no my nerves now." Laxus patted her on the head once more before walking passed her. They were to the guildhall then anyhow.

When they got in there, the first thing Lisanna noted was that Bickslow wasn't around. The second thing was that Natsu very much so was.

He and Lucy were over at the requests board when she walked in, Happy floating around their heads.

"What job you wanna take, Luce? Erza said she doesn't want to come and Gray's off on his own again. It's just gonna be you and me."

"Don't forget me," Happy complained.

"Never, little buddy."

"I feel like Erza and Gray sure have been ditching us a lot lately," Lucy complained.

"I think it's cause they don't wanna see the two of you  _in love_ ," Happy sang from above them. This was quickly rebuked by Lucy, but her boyfriend only went to grab a flier.

"What kinda job are you guys taking?" Lisanna asked as she headed over to them. Lucy, upon seeing her, smiled and waved.

"One with lots of jewels, so we don't have to hear Lucy whine about her rent anymore," Happy told her.

"You know, for two people that crash at my place nearly ever night, you sure don't sound worried about me, I dunno,  _getting evicted_?"

As Lucy and Happy argued, Natsu only held the request form out to Lisanna who looked it over.

"Short and simple, ah?" He grinned at her. Then, in a softer tone," he said, "Was that Laxus I saw you walking in with? Did he come for our rematch?"

"I wasn't aware there was one," Lisanna said as she handed the flier back.

"Trust me, there isn't," Lucy spoke up though she was still glaring at Happy. To Lisanna though she said, "So what happened to Poopoo?"

"Pappa, Lucy. And I gave him back to Bickslow." Lisanna looked off. "We…talked last night."

"You talk about me?" Natsu asked making Lisanna blush.

"No! Why would-"

"You know," he said before moving to get into a hand stand and walk around, tossing the request paper to Lucy first. "'bout how I almost beat Laxus yesterday!"

"No, Natsu," she said after a sigh. "We didn't talk about that."

"Aw. You shoulda," he said as he began to walk on his hands then. "Onward, Lucy! We gotta job to deal with. And I'm gonna go tell Mira 'bout how her boyfriend 'bout got himself burnt alive."

Lucy smiled at her then, as if in apology, before following after her boyfriend. Lisanna only sighed before glancing at the board as well. Maybe getting out of Magnolia would help take-

"Lisanna!"

-her mind off things.

She made a nois as suddenly her back was pelted from behind. Glancing over her shoulder, she found, of course, Bickslow's babies banging themselves into her in greeting.

"Knock it off," Bickslow told them as he approached. "Lissy's real frail, huh?"

"I am not," she complained, turning then to face him as the babies went back to their master's side. He was in front of her then anyhow.

"What? You like delicate better?" He had his arms crossed over his chest, head cocked to the side, while his tongue hung from his mouth at an angle.

"No," she told him dryly. "I don't."

His head changed sides then, though he still cocked it. "Huh."

Then she were just staring at him and she wasn't sure anymore, about what she was feeling. The night before had been… What had the night before been? Had they made up? She wasn't sure. After all was said and done, she made her escape not soon after they got the injured babies in their new bodies, telling him over her shoulder that she had to get home because Mira had made her dinner.

But that did little to clear up exactly where each of them stood.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she waited for a moment, to see if he would speak. When he didn't, she opened her mouth to, but was cut off by someone else.

"Good. You're here."

Laxus was at their side then, Freed with him. Lisanna blinked before glancing at Bickslow.

"Are you going with him?" she asked, frowning slightly. "On his job?"

He sighed. "It is part of the plan, yes."

"Plan," the babies chanted as Pippi and Pappa came to land on Lisanna's head. "Plan."

"If Ever would ever show up," Laxus grumbled. "I'm the one that gets to be late. Not her."

"I believe she's with-"

"Yeah, I know. Elf _boy_. What else is new?" he cut Freed off before looking to Bickslow. "We're leaving her then. And I'll deal with her punishment when I get back."

Lisanna's eyes widened. "P-Punishment?"

Freed bowed his head. "It is only right."

"So tell your long goodbyes, kid." Laxus went to throw an arm over Bickslow's shoulder, who didn't seem too thrilled about it. His boss only grinned though, tightening the grip on the man's neck. "Because Bickslow here's about to get a little punishment of his own."

"Laxus-" Lisanna started, but Bickslow only shook his head at her, his tongue finding its way back into his mouth.

"I disobeyed a command," he conceded.

"That's a good little freak." Laxus winked at Lisanna. "We got some terms to negotiate on the way to the train station, Bickslow. Huh?"

After one more tight squeeze, Laxus released him. That was more because it was then that Evergreen walked in, Elfman right behind her. His fun with Bickslow would have to be delayed; it was time to argue with Elfman and berate Evergreen.

Freed rushed after him, as he was the leader of the Thunder Legion and would no doubt wish to reprimand Evergreen as well. That left a very uneasy Bickslow and a blushing Lisanna.

"Why don't I like the word terms?" she mumbled as Bickslow slowly relaxed, if only somewhat.

"He's just, uh, a little peeved at me, huh? This is why I told you, you know, kid, not to say anything to him or your sister." Taking a step closer, he reached out to cup one of her cheeks. Lisanna wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but still allowed it. "But what's done is done."

"Bickslow…"

"Mmmmm?"

"We're at the guild."

"And? Your sister and brother both know already. Who are we hiding from?"

And then, he noticed that she wasn't looking at him. When he followed her gaze, he thought for a moment that it led to Mirajane, but closer inspection showed it was to someone else entirely.

"I see." He removed his hand then, no longer relaxed nor tense. Just exasperated. "The Salamander, huh?"

"Bickslow." Her eyes fell back to him then and away from Natsu, who was showing off to Mirajane how well he could walk around on his hands. Not that she hadn't seen it before. Still, Mirajane acted amused, as she was always such a good sport. "I just-"

"Just what?" He snorted then. "I got a job to get to. Come on, babies."

"Bick-"

"Get your shit sorted out, kid, before I get back."

"Me? You keep acting like I-"

"I ain't acting like nothing, Lisanna. I thought that everything was fine after last night, but-"

"Why? Because we slept together?"

He stopped walking. She was being way too loud.

"No," he said slowly though he wouldn't turn around to look at her. "Because we were cool last night, before you left. And-"

"What do you want me to do, Bickslow? Huh? I-"

"I want you to get over the freaking Salamander," he grumbled. Now he was being too loud for her taste. "I mean, come on, Lisanna. I'm facing Laxus for you, ain't I?"

"Only because I'm making you. You were content with just keeping this all-"

"Fine. Then I'm making you face Natsu. Happy? Everyone all equal now?"

"I-"

"Come, Bickslow," Freed called out then, making them both glance over at him. He was standing with his hands on his hips as Laxus and Elfman were being separated by Evergreen. "I think it is best to leave before Laxus vanquishes Ever's distraction."

"I'm a man," Elfman growled. "Not a distraction."

"Sorry, Elf _boy_ , can't hear you over the sound of your woman wanting my cock more than yours," Laxus volleyed back. That made Ever get all flustered and relax her grip some on Elfman's chest, which she'd been pushing back. It would have been enough for Elfman to finally get at Laxus, had Mira not appeared suddenly and given both Laxus and her brother a hard shove to the chest.

"Enough," she told them, glaring more at her boyfriend than anything. "This is the exact same type of argument that led to my stew being destroyed!"

Leave it to Mira to be more focused on that.

"Behave," she told Laxus, moving to wag a finger at him. "Or else I won't let you go on your little job."

Turning his snarl onto her then as Ever went back to attempting to restrain her (sort of) boyfriend, Laxus said, "You think that you control me or something, demon? Huh?"

"Fine. You can't go."

"What?"

"I'm sure that the Thunder God Tribe can handle it themselves. You're grounded."

"What?" He full on growled at her then. "You're crazy woman. You-"

"Try to leave Magnolia, Laxus. Go ahead. Believe me, you won't like the outcome."

With that, Mira turned to walk away.

"This isn't done," he yelled, heading after her. "Demon-"

"Grounded."

"Stop-"

"Grounded."

"You-"

"You're at two weeks right now, Laxus. Wanna go for a month?"

That alone had calmed everyone down. Even Evergreen was staring in shock after them. And Elfman didn't use that moment to go after Laxus. Oh, no. If Mirajane was handing out punishments, he wanted to stay far away from her.

"Does that mean that you're still going?" Lisanna asked Bickslow softly, who was watching Mirajane as well. She only went back over to the bar, a raving Laxus following. Natsu was on the floor then with laughter, but Lucy was trying to drag him out of the hall before the Thunder God noticed and did something about it.

"I dunno, kid," he whispered, his tone pretty soft then too. He, Ever, and Freed always held Laxus in such esteem. To see him get…grounded by Mirajane was messing with all their psyches.

"She cannot do this! Laxus is the greatest wizard to ever live." Freed was more fired up than discouraged. "Mirajane! You must take heed of my words." He was on his way over there then, where Laxus was still arguing with his girlfriend. At the sound of someone else yelling at her though, Laxus turned to face them, not even recognizing it was his most loyal follower.

"Stay the fuck out of it," he roared at the green haired man who came to a stop at the words. Then Laxus was looking back at Mira, who seemed unconcerned as she only wiped down the bar, randomly saying the word grounded at him in response to his threats.

"This is…unexpected," Evergreen said softly as Elfman shook his head in pity.

"He ain't a man, but even he doesn't deserve this."

"So what do we do?" Bickslow asked as Freed slowly came back to them. "Are we-"

"I-I do not know," he whispered, still in shock that he'd been admonished by his idol. "I suppose we should wait for him. But it might take some time… I would not stray far."

Bickslow nodded slowly as his babies circled over head, excited by all the commotion. Turning then, the man looked back at Lisanna.

"We've been to breakfast and dinner," he said as he no doubt stared at her through his visor. "But how does lunch sound?"

She glanced around, but Lucy had successfully rescued Natsu. They'd probably be gone for the next few days.

"Good," she said as Bickslow held out a hand. Taking it, she added, "But I've already eaten."

"That's fine," he assured her as he interlaced their fingers with a grin. "I'll eat enough for the both of us."

* * *

He did too. Eat enough for both of them. He bought Lisanna an ice cream cone though afterwards, from a vendor in the street. He offered to buy her some flowers too when they passed a cart with them, but she only shook her head.

"You think we should head back to the guild now?" she asked him as they walked the streets of Magnolia in practical silence. The babies kept chanting ice cream repeatedly, but Lisanna only took her time eating it.

"I dunno. Laxus was so fired up that I don't really want to be there for him to get mad at, you know?" Bickslow paused. "But still. His word is law. If he's still mad at me when I return, I-"

"Mira's the one that got him so worked up," Lisanna told him. "I'm sure she'll get him just as relaxed before he takes off."

"If you say so."

They hadn't spoken much during lunch. That was more because Bickslow was so concentrated on eating anything and everything placed in front of him. He told her that he had to buck up for the job.

"Are you mad at me?" she finally worked up to ask, glancing at him as she said the words. Bickslow was staring at her ice cream cone though.

"Yeah, a little," he told her. "You haven't even offered me a lick and I bought the damn thing."

She blinked. Then she sighed and handed over the cone.

"That wasn't what I was talking about though and you know it," she said as he took more than just a lick. "Bickslow-"

"What is it about him, Lissy? Huh? That makes him so great? That you and the blonde would want him?" He gave the cone back. "It don't make no sense."

"I've always loved Natsu." It felt weird, saying that to the guy that she had been sleeping with the past few weeks, but then again, her whole life was pretty peculiar. "We're… I don't know, Bickslow. Alright? Don't you just, you know, love someone?"

"I love my babies."

"You know what I mean."

He paused before shrugging. "I've fucked some pretty hot women, if that's what you mean."

"Bickslow-"

"Look, kid, I don't have a…Salamander from my past, alright? So no, I don't get it. The only people that have ever really cared about me are my babies, the Thunder Legion, and Laxus."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't get you guys and Laxus. You act like he is, well, an actual god. He's not. And he doesn't even seem to like you guys except for when you're saving his butt or-"

"Let's get one thing straight, kid." Bickslow was glaring at her. She could feel it. Even through his visor. "I might not agree with everything he says and yeah, I might have defied him just to be with you, but that doesn't change what he is to me. What he should be to you. Laxus is-"

"Laxus this, Laxus that. What? Are you like Freed?" Then she glanced at him. "Are you only with me to get close to Laxus?"

"Being with you has brought me further from Laxus, so trust me, it's not that." He looked up at the sky then, watching as his babies zoomed around up there. "Look, Laxus did a lot for me, when I was a kid. He's the reason I'm in Fairy Tail, alright? He brought me here. Gave me a home. So I don't stand for people, you know, saying bad about him for no reason. Ever, me, Freed; we got some good reasons for being in debt to him, for worshiping him? He is our god, alright? So just drop it."

When Lisanna's gaze dropped, Bickslow sighed. Since there weren't many people out that day, he didn't disturb anyone as he stopped walking before reaching to grab one of her arms and pull her closer. Her shock made her drop her ice cream cone, though that was fine, because Bickslow just as quickly wrapped his arms around her for a tight hug.

"The past is dead, Lisanna," he told her softly. "But Laxus will always be the guy that I look to, alright? And if Natsu's going to be your one hang up, then, maybe this won't work out."

"Do you want it to?" she asked softly, resting her head against his chest. "Work out?"

"Kid, if you're going to second-guess fucking everything, then no, I don't." He released her then, though he did ruffle her hair some. "It was fun, wasn't it? When we weren't focused on what we were? When we just…were?"

"Yeah," she whispered, staring up at him. "It was."

"Fun," the babies chanted above them. "Fun."

"Then let's just be again, huh?" He was grinning, his tongue falling out of his mouth in the process. She felt her eyes drift to stare at the tattoo.

"Yeah." She felt herself grinning too. "Let's."

"But you and Natsu-"

"Natsu's with Lucy." Then she paused because it sounded odd, coming out of her mouth instead of just resonating in her mind. "Natsu loves Lucy. So… So don't worry about it. Okay?"

He nodded then, taking her at her word. Then he patted her head again, almost in a more friendly way.

"Let's go get you another ice cream cone, huh, kid? And then head back to the guild? See if I got left or if Laxus really is….grounded?"

And then she was giggling and it was over and it was prefect and she was fine and Natsu wasn't around, but that was okay, because he loved Lucy and she liked Bickslow and he liked her and…and…and…

Well, Laxus was grounded, but other than that the day was really looking up. And besides, after how rude he was about the stupid omelet, he deserved to be grounded. Even if it was only long enough to piss him off and remind Mira that she held ultimate power over him, it was worth it.

 


	9. Chapter 9

  


As it turned out, Laxus wasn't grounded. He just had to promise to Mirajane that he wouldn't fight with her brother as much and that he wouldn't be so grouchy all the time. Then she gave him a kiss on the cheek and sent him on his way.

Not that he was the best person to deal with on the trip. The Thunder Legion was on high alert to his attitude, but luckily, it wasn't an overly complex job. They got home as soon as possible, Laxus grumbling the whole way about how much he hated having to be in Magnolia because that meant that he had to spend time with Mira.

…Of course when they got there, he immediately took her out to a fancy lunch and brought her a bouquet of flowers. Because it didn't matter how angry she made him; she'd always be his demon.

Bickslow was in a different boat entirely, however. Because he wasn't worried about making up with Lisanna or anything like that. Instead he was worried about if there was anything between him and Lisanna to come back to.

However, Laxus and Mira making up only meant one thing for Lisanna.

"You have to work?"

"Until Mira gets back," Lisanna sighed as she poured Bickslow a drink. "Laxus came in and took her away. To lunch. Or, you know, to screw. Whichever."

The babies were floating around her then, some taking to landing on her shoulders or head before taking back to the flying. They were clearly excited about being home.

"I was gonna take you to lunch," Bickslow complained, his tongue stuck out of his mouth as he watched her then head further down the bar to refill Macao's drink.

"Well, that's out the window," she told him with a sigh. When she glanced back at him, she said, "Look, we can just hangout later, alright? I really do have to work. I need the tip money anyhow. It's either that or I have to go out on a job and now that Ever's back, I don't think I'm getting Elfman to go anywhere with me."

That was true. He and Ever had disappeared almost as quickly as Laxus and Mirajane. Sighing, Bickslow downed his drink before tossing some jewels onto the counter.

"I guess I'll take off then," he said slowly, though Lisanna was focused on something else, yet again. "Maybe you can come by after work then, huh?"

"Maybe," she told him distractedly. "I'll see you later."

"See ya," he mumbled, slightly disappointed. He had worked him coming back into a whole ordeal, but her blowing him off was not a part of the plan. Huh. Had he done something wrong?

No. Of course not. As he left, Lisanna only shook her head and busied herself with work. It was just easier that way. She'd had a good few weeks there to think about Bickslow and the current state of affairs that they were both in.

Things were simple when he left. He said that he wanted to just have fun again and she was fine with that. She'd even practically ignored Natsu since Bickslow'd left. Which wasn't hard, as he was more focused on Lucy and Happy anyways, but still. It was something. She knew it wouldn't completely fix things and that eventually she'd have to actually address the issue, but it'd kept her level headed while he was gone.

And what she'd said to Bickslow was true, after all. Natsu did love Lucy. He just did. And Lisanna had to admit, if it couldn't be her, then Lucy was pretty great. Though that didn't make it hurt any less, it was just too hard to find any flaw in the other woman. Impossible.

So when Mirajane returned, reeking of wine, with a Laxus, who was totally wearing a different shirt (did they even try to hide things anymore), Lisanna told her that she was going over to Bickslow's place and that she wasn't sure when she'd be home, if she even came home.

And wasn't that one of those stomach in your throat moments. Lisanna was almost blushing as she said it. But Mirajane was so tipsy at that point that she only reminded loudly to use protection which made the blush spread and Laxus laugh loudly. Great. So he was drunk too.

Escaping them, Lisanna took off from the guildhall before she had to speak to anyone else. It wasn't until she was a few blocks away that her blush actually faded.

"Leave it to Mira," she grumbled as she set off towards home. She wanted to go there first and shower. She had been working for a few hours. And that one time when she came over to his place after work, he complained that she was sweaty.

Err, that she tasted salty. When he licked her face.

The memory alone brought the red flush back to her features.

Lisanna took some time too, over at her house, getting ready. She was never one for make up, as that was more Mirajane's thing, so she didn't have that to worry about. But she did spend some time looking through all of Mira's different perfumes and such. She felt really girly and kinda stupid, but being with Bickslow made her feel girly too. And…sometimes stupid, but mostly just excited.

When she got to his apartment, she had that nervous feeling back. She'd kinda blown him off up at the guild, but he was the one that suggested she come over after work. So she figured that he couldn't be too upset that she took him up on his offer.

Could he?

Apparently not. When he opened the door to his apartment, he was anything, but upset. He was actually grinning at her.

"Lisanna," his babies cheered as he immediately took her arm and pulled her in. "Lisanna."

"Hey, Lissy," he greeted as he shut the door behind her. He'd clearly taken a shower when he got home from the job and was just wearing a pair of jeans and his helmet.

"No shirt?" she asked, making a face. It seemed odd to see him with a helmet without one of the outfits that usually accompanied it.

"Sticks to the bandage."

"Band- Are you hurt?"

He turned then, showing off his back. There was a huge gash there, right in the open.

"Was trying to bandage it when you showed up, but it ain't so easy, you know, it being on my back and all. Ever did it for me on the job, but-"

"Come here, Bickslow. Lay down on the couch so I can do it."

"Lisanna-"

"Seriously, all you had to do was ask," she told him with a frown. He only grinned as she reached up to take the helmet off his head before leading him to the couch. "Now lay down. Where do you keep your medical stuff?"

"Uh…Ever sent me home with some bandages. They're in my bag, in my room. And she gave me some sort of stuff in a bottle to pour over it, but-"

"Just hold on," she groaned, heading into his room then. "I don't know why she'd ever think you were capable of doing all that."

"I know," he agreed as he went to lay on his stomach on the couch. "She thinks I'm, like, an intellectual or something."

"Or something," Lisanna mumbled as she made it into his bedroom. After tossing the helmet on the dresser, she found on his bed sat a duffle bag, which she immediately went over to. "I'm not gonna, like, find something I don't want to in here, am I?"

"Nah," he called back to her. "Ever made me get rid of my dirty magazines, if that's what you mean."

Rolling her eyes, she pulled a pack of bandages and a bottle of peroxide out of his bag before going back to him.

"Mira does this for Laxus too," she told him softly as she went to deal with his wound. He hissed a little when she poured the hydrogen peroxide over it.

"Papa," the babies cried, fearful for him. "Papa."

"Did she and Laxus ever get back?" he asked through a grimace.

"Yeah. Drunk. They took for freaking ever," she complained as she moved to bandage him. "Do you have any other wounds?"

"Nope."

"Then…are you gonna tell me how it happened?"

"Over dinner, kid." When she was finished, he moved to sit up. "C'mere. I bought some stuff."

"Really?"

"Yep." He winked at her as he got up. "I was gonna make you something to eat. If you want."

"Can you cook?"

"…When I said make, I meant something more like I picked us up some take out and was going to warm the stuff up in the oven when you showed up." Then he scratched his head. His Mohawk was down, but she figured he hadn't fixed it after his shower. "And if you didn't show, well, then I'dda felt kinda stupid."

That made her giggle and him grin while his babies only took to resting different places in the apartment. Pippi chose Lisanna's head.

"I'll help you," she said, following him into the kitchen. Once she was close enough, Bickslow only threw an arm around her shoulders, hugging her tightly.

"You smell good, kid," he told her.

"Smell good, kid," Pippi mimicked.

Lisanna only giggled into her palm. "Really?"

"Mmmhmm." He accidentally knocked Pippi off her head when he leaned down to nuzzle her.

"Papa," the doll complained, but that just got some more giggles from Lisanna.

"I'm sorry, baby." He released her then before moving to grab the wooden toy. "You okay?"

"Okay," he mimicked as some of the other dolls came to check on him. "Papa."

When they finally went to eat, it was in his bedroom like always, reminding Lisanna of that last time they did that same thing. She decided to put it out of her mind. He had been upset. And she had been upset. And they both said things that weren't true. Or even if they were true at the time, no longer held any value.

She was with him. And he wanted her to be. That's all that mattered.

"What time is it?" he asked her at one point through a mouth full of food. "You know? This lunch or is this dinner?"

"I think it's right in between."

"Ah. So brunch."

"You do realize that would be breakfast and lunch, right?"

"What?"

"What?"

Then she was looking at him, making a face, while Bickslow only went back to eating. Finally giggling, she leaned across him to lay her empty plate on the nightstand before collapsing back into the bed, grinning all the same.

"What you wanna do tomorrow, Lissy?" he asked.

"Lissy?" the babies, who were spread over the bed with them, repeated.

"I dunno," she told him with a slight grin. "What are you going to do?"

"I dunno," he repeated. "What are you doing?"

"I dunno."

"Neither do I."

Then she sighed. "I'm kinda low on jewels though and was thinking about taking a job. It's like I was saying before though. Elfman probably won't go with me since Ever just got back and-"

"What you need money for?" he asked her with a slight frown. "I mean, you live with your brother and sister. They don't charge you rent or nothing, do they?"

"Well, no, but-"

"They make you buys groceries?"

"No-"

"Then why-"

"I don't like not contributing at all, Bickslow. I-"

"If you need some jewels, just ask, kid."

She blinked. "You'd just give me money?"

"I'd loan you some," he told her with a shrug. "I don't want you going nowhere while I'm waiting for my next job. And if sliding some jewels at you will keep you here, that works for me. Pay me back when you get the cash. Ain't no rush."

"You don't want me going anywhere?"

"Of course not," he told her as he winked at her. "How can we hangout if you're out on a job, huh? And besides, I just live here, all alone. With the babies. Just gotta feed myself. I usually blow the rest of the money on cool things. Throwing some of it at you instead ain't no problem."

He was done with his food then and, to her surprise, jumped up to take their empty plates to the kitchen without hesitation. Sitting up some, she watched him leave before glancing down at his babies.

"Did you guys have fun on your job?"

"Fun," they all agreed, Pappa and Poppo jumping up to come rest in her lap. She only hugged them to her slightly, grinning. "Fun."

"I missed you," she told them softly then, as not to be overheard by Bickslow.

"Missed Lisanna," they all agreed, the others taking to the air too, Pippi and Puppu fighting over her head while Peppe just joined the other too in her lap. "Missed Lisanna."

"I missed you too."

She lifted her eyes again to find him standing there in the doorway. He wasn't grinning though and his tongue wasn't hanging out of his mouth. His Mohawk was still down and it was so dark in the room with the light off and the shades down to that his tattoo was shadowed along with the rest of his face.

"Missed you too," she whispered as he came closer. "Bickslow."

Then he was next to the bed and fell onto it, beside her, and she moved to lay back down. This made the babies give up on her head and rush to land on the pillow in between their master and his date. The other three just settled onto her stomach.

For a moment anyhow. Then Bickslow reached out and plucked all three of them up, resting them instead against the pillows as well. Lisanna only watched as he moved to lay his head against her stomach in their place. She hoped that it wasn't too soft. Or firm. Or whatever it was that a stomach wasn't supposed to be. She knew that Bickslow despised the weak and never wanted to seem that way to him again.

And for awhile, they just laid there. Eventually she didn't feel as tense. She just took to stroking his hair, glad then that it wasn't stylized, so her fingers didn't get covered in gel or anything like that. And the babies seemed to go dormant, no doubt thinking that it ws time to go to sleep. She knew that it was only about six in the evening though. Behind the blinds, she could see the sun just setting outside.

"Lissy?"

"Mmmm?"

He breathed then, softly, before sitting up some. He only shoved up her t-shirt before resting his head fully on her stomach then, flesh against flesh.

She wasn't sure then, if she should breath or not. She didn't want to seem unattractive. Or pudgy. Did her stomach feel pudgy?

…What did pudgy even mean? Gah!

"Tell me about Edolas."

And then she froze for another reason.

"Wh-What?"

"I wasn't…there when you died. At the guild," he told her softly. "But I remember how sad everyone was. For weeks after. And I just… It's weird to me, now. That if it wasn't for Edolas, this wouldn't have happened, that I would have never cared about you. That I wouldn't know that I was missing this."

"Bickslow…"

"Did you…meet me there? I know that you met everyone else, mostly, but-"

"Once," she told him softly. "I met you once."

"And?"

"Huh?"

"Did I have my babies or-"

"You were…different, Bickslow," she told him, smiling slightly as she shut her eyes. "Everyone was."

"So what was I?"

"You weren't with Fairy Tail."

He blinked, but didn't remove his head from her stomach. He didn't think he ever would. It was too relaxing. Even though he had to curl up so his feet didn't hang off the bed, it was just too dang comfortable.

"You were… It was when I first got to the guild, see? And I was supposed to be, you know, their Lisanna."

"Right."

"And we were a rogue thing, you understand? You know, 'cause magic-"

"I got that, Lissy. Now what'd I do?"

"You sold things. Underground things," she told him with a sigh. "I went with Elf once, to a shop. It was a toy shop, up top, and you were the owner. But down in the basement, you'd sell…you know, things that used magic. Since they didn't use magic like us, they'd use weapons that did."

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Well, you're name was Bickslow, for starters," she said, giggling slightly. "And you'd make these hand carved wooden toys. Kinda like your babies, I guess."

"What'd I look like?"

"You," she told him with a sigh. "But you didn't have your guild mark, obviously, and didn't have your face tattoo."

"What?"

"Mmmhmm. You didn't even have a Mohawk."

"I call bullshit."

"Bickslow-"

"Imposter! There had to have been a real me." And true to his form, his tongue fell out of his mouth as he got over excited. It was so close to Lisanna's stomach though, that he accidentally (or secretly on purpose) licked her. Not expecting this, it startled her into shifting away from him.

"Bickslow!"

"You're tasty," he told her before moving to lick her again. Lisanna only shoved his head away.

"I thought we went over this before?"

"I'm giving you kisses," he complained.

"You are not."

"How do you know?" His tongue was still out of his mouth then and he shifted to get over her.

"Bick-"

"I can't kiss you? Lissy?" He leaned down then to nuzzle her neck. "That ain't very nice, I ain't even allowed to kiss you, but you can kiss me."

"I have never licked you."

"Never said you couldn't either though, kid." He lifted his head and winked before speaking louder. "Go hangout in the living room, babies. This is not meant for your eyes."

And then she was blushing and rolling her own, but the spirits only followed his command, though they did whine slightly while they were at it.

He only dropped his head once more, resting it against the side of her neck. When he moved to lick it though, she did kinda shove him a little.

"What is up with you?"

"I can't lick you?"

"You can, just…"

He was laughing then and sounded way too maniacal. It was loud enough that the babies began to mimic him, as they were still lingering right outside the opened door. At the sound of them, he frowned and said, "One sec, kid," before rolling out of bed.

"Be quiet," he told them a tad harshly as he came to close the door. "Go…go sit on the couch. I'll come get you later and maybe we can all go for a walk or something. Get some ice cream."

With an incentive, they were easy to persuade. Lisanna knew, of course, most of that was for show, as Bickslow could get them really to do anything. He controlled them fully, when he wanted to. So he must not have been too upset with them.

"Now," he began and he headed back over to the bed, stopping only to slip out of his jeans. "I think I was pretty set on tasting you, was I not?"

"You're not, like, a cannibal or something, are you?" she asked as he licked her cheek in jest the second they were in bed again.

"Nope," he said. "Plus, you sort of taste like soap. You shower or something recently?"

"Most people shower daily, Bickslow, so I'm going with yes."

"Huh." Another lick. That time she shoved his head.

"Stop. That makes me feel…icky."

"Well don't. It's just us." He grinned real wide then. "Not even the babies. You have me all to yourself, kid. You know how lucky you are?"

"Lucky to have you slobbering all over me?"

"That ain't slobber, kid," he told her. "But I can gladly do that too, if you want."

"Bick-"

"I'm kidding." And then he just laid there, on his side next to her, tilting his head forwards to rest it against hers. "Tell me what you want tonight, Lissy. You want me to taste you again? Huh?"

And then his hand was snaking down the front of her shirt, but she caught it, shifting to look at him.

"What do you want?" she questioned back, breathless as he wiggled his hand free of hers, though he just moved to grasp her cheek then.

"Tasting you was what I wanted. Partially."

"Then," she said slowly, staring into his dark eyes. "What else did you want?"

"Depends," he told her as he let go of her cheek, just watching her back.

"On?"

"Couple of things."

"Like?"

"How far you wanna go?"

She watched his eyes for a moment before grinning, though she was still blushing slightly as well.

"However far you do."

He laughed then, nuzzling against her neck. "For future reference, that question is now invalid, huh?"

"Yeah," Lisanna repeated, her stomach in knots again. "Same."

And…and…she'd never done that before. That way, at least. When he asked, she blushed and told him as much, but he only shook his head because of course she hadn't. She'd only been with him, after all.

It was…different. And kinda nerve-racking, being the one over him. She didn't really know what to do. He grinned though and only kept one hand on her waist the whole time, laughing when her nerves made her giggle and moaning when they didn't.

Then it was over and they were just there, in his bed and she had shifted to his side, being the one curled up and resting against his stomach then, as he reached down and played with her hair. And the nerves dissipated with the blush and it was okay, because she didn't need to be anxious. He wanted her. So they were okay.

"Bickslow?"

He only grunted though, still just playing with her hair. And she shifted some to glance up at him in the darkness.

"When I was in Edolas, I thought about my brother and sister all the time. My real brother and sister."

A breath escaped his lips then. "You don't gotta-"

"And I thought…about Natsu. And Happy. And how much I missed everyone. Even Master." She sniffled slightly, moving to rest her head against his abdomen once more. "For two years, I just missed everyone. I thought for awhile that maybe…maybe I was in Hell? Or Heaven? Or something? But that didn't make any sense. And eventually I gave up trying to figure it out and just decided to go with it. That I was where I needed to be. I still had Elf. And Mirajane. And they both loved me a bunch, just like the real ones did. Like mine did.

"But I still thought, at times, about what everyone was doing back at home. My real home. And how they were. And if Elfman was okay or if Mira was happy or if Natsu was fine and still took care of Happy. I decided that if they were, if everything was fine, then I'd never go back. That I'd stop wishing to go back. Because…because if I came back, then I might mess it up. And what about my new Mira and Elfman? How would they feel if I left them?

"So I resolved to just force myself into contentment, no matter what, because I should just be happy. I still had everyone I loved, all around me. Just not the way that they were before. That was all. And Elf had a really bad haircut, but that's beside the point."

She snuggled closer to him then and Bickslow had his eyes shut, just letting her get it out. He had been the one to bring it up, after all.

"I always thought back to, though, that day that I went into that shop. The one that you ran? Err, the guy that was you in Edolas ran."

He frowned. "Why? We weren't even friends before you…went away."

"I know," she sighed. "It didn't have to do with you."

"Then what?"

"It was one of the things in the toy shop, up above the magic one?" She glanced up at him. "It wasn't for sale, he said, when I asked about it. I was just curious, really, why he had it."

"What was it?"

And then she was smiling, even letting out a slight giggle while she was at it, before bowing her head down once more, so she couldn't see his face.

"It was this…full sized armor that he kept."

"Armor?"

"A knight suit. It was in one of the corners, on a mannequin, yeah? With the helmet and all. I remember, because as Elf was downstairs, I stayed upstairs and looked around. I went over to it and was messing with the visor. It was different than yours. It was a full one that would cover all your face. And I would push it up slightly because… I dunno. I just did.

"When they came back from the basement, he saw me looking at it and he almost got…like you. Real excited. You know how you are."

"How I am," he repeated softly to which she grinned.

"And it wasn't royal armor or anything like that. It was literal knight armor. Like…like a medieval knight. A full metal body suit."

"Hmmm." Maybe the guy was the Edolas version of him. "But what does that have to-"

"And he started telling me about how he found it, the suit of armor, in a shop once and spent tons of jewels on it. Just 'cause he saw it and knew it had to be his. He wanted it. And he decided to set it up in his shop. He just loved it that much.

"I remember, too, when we left the place, that I was still grinning about it. Elf asked me what was up, but I only told him that it made me think of, like, you know." Then she was blushing and trying to hide it. "A knight in shining armor or whatever. That saves the princess? And takes her back home? Or something like that. And he only laughed. Just ruffled my hair and laughed.

"But I still thought about it. A lot. Because that's what I wanted. Someone to just come in and rescue me. Take me back home. No hurt feelings or nothing. I just…I just wanted  _my_  sister and  _my_ brother and  _my_  Fairy Tail. That was all. I loved them, but they weren't… And if the knight would only come, but…" She paused to swallow. "But when they came, when Natsu and Happy came, it wasn't for me. It was because they had to. They hadn't known I was there. And if I hadn't been sucked back up with them when they came back here, I'd still be there. You know? I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be with you and I wouldn't be with sis or Elf and I would have… It just…"

"It's alright, kid," he sighed as he continued to stroke her white hair. "Calm down."

She snuggled deeper into his stomach. "And then I got back and it was all different. Natsu was different, Mira was different, and Elf…well, he was the same, I guess. But still. And I started wanting things to go back to the way they were. But they couldn't. They can't. Yo know? 'cause it had been two years. I was gone for two years. And even now, sometimes, I see the way that Mirajane looks at me. As if she's shocked, you know? That I'm here. We'll wake up and I'll be downstairs making breakfast and she'll come downstairs and just…stare at me for awhile. And then she'll hug me and tell me that she loves me.

"Or Elfman, he'll just start crying sometimes. Like once, we were just hanging out together, sitting on the couch talking, about nothing, really, and he just all of a sudden started crying. You know how he is. And he had his head buried in his hands. And I asked him what was wrong, but he only shook his head and promised me a thousand times over that he'd never hurt me again. That he didn't mean to hurt me. That it was the worst mistake of his life. His entire life.

"I can tell, you know, that sometimes they still feel guilty, as if they did something wrong. I was the one, you know, that got in front of him. That started all of it. If I had died, it would have been my fault. Not theirs. But every time I say that or tell them that when they're acting funny, they only hug me or Mira'll kiss me and tell me about how she promised Mom that she'd always take care of me. And I'll tell her that she has, but she'll only kiss me again and tell me that she loves me. And I love the way she is now, you know? But I still…I changed her. Me going away changed her so deeply. I can't even tell now, when she's really happy or when she's just putting on.

"Then Natsu and Happy, they hardly even remember that I'm around anymore. Not just because of Lucy either. Because of…everything. They'll be going to do something, something that the three of us did together before, but not even remember to invite me. You know how rare it is that I get to go fishing with them anymore? Or go over to their house? Or anything? Unless I invite myself, but I don't…"

His hand had stilled against her head then and she felt his muscles tense beneath her. He thought that she was about to go on and on about Natsu again, but she wasn't. She might have been rambling, but she wasn't stupid.

"I just thought it'd be different, Bickslow," she told him softly then. "Or not different, I mean. That things would eventually get back to normal. But they can't, you know? And it's been so long now. Really long, if you add in those seven years that we were, you know, frozen. But even without them, it's still be a long time. And nothing's changed. And I just keep wishing that…that someone would fix it for me. Someone would get Mira to stop being so…nice to me because she's scared I'll die with her upset. Or Elfman crying over me every chance he gets. I want someone to…rescue me."

"Like," he began slowly, softly. His voice didn't sound right without vim in it. "Like a knight?"

And then she was giggling because he got it. Because he got her. And she got him. And that was all that mattered.

"I'll be your knight, kid." He was stroking her hair again then. "You just gotta let me, huh? You gotta stop second guessing me. I like you, alright? Stop thinking that I don't."

"You-"

"I know what I said, when I was angry with you. But it didn't mean nothing. And what you said didn't mean nothing. I'll forgive you and you forgive me, huh?" Then he breathed, "Princess?"

And it was perfect, even though he sort of sounded like Virgo then, but that was okay, because he was her knight and she liked him and everything was-

"They did not just knock something over," Bickslow groaned as they heard a crash from the other room. "Babies!"

It got quiet suddenly, in the other room. Bickslow only sighed before saying, "Well, we were supposed to go get ice cream."

"Mmmm."

"You don't wanna?"

"It's too early to go to sleep," she told him with a sigh. "So we might as well."

"I gotta, you know, fix my hair first," he said as he slipped out from under her before going to slip on a pair of boxers.

She just laid there, watching as he left the room before sighing and moving to get up as well. She probably needed to freshen up too. And he had ruined her hair just as much as she had his.

Bickslow set her up with one of his jackets when they left, as he didn't want her to get cold. And he even let her wear his helmet, plopping it on her head after giving her the jacket.

"You don't always gotta wait for a knight, Lissy," he told her with a grin after doing so. "Sometimes you just gotta be your own."

Lisanna thought that she'd feel silly out there on the streets, walking around with his visor on, but she didn't. Because she was with Bickslow and he had his tongue hanging out of his mouth, happy to be hanging out together. And she could tell, just from some of his vague questions veiled in nonchalant tones that he was worried over whether or not she'd be going home with him again, or if he'd be walking her back to her place when the night was over. And she didn't want to box herself in either way, so she'd be just as vague back, never fully giving him a yes to breakfast in the morning, and ignoring the part when he asked what time he should be over the next day to get her, if they did go out to eat.

When they got to the ice cream shop, Lisanna was reminded that it was that same one that she and Natsu had been going to that night, when they ran into Bickslow and Freed. The memory was due in part, however, by the fact that when they walked in, they found the Salamander and his Exceed in there, as well as girlfriend.

They were sitting in a booth, Lucy watching with a bored expression as Natsu and Happy pigged out on a big sundae, her having only a single ice cream cone.

"You know, guys, this whole gag about you eating a bunch and then whining about still being hungry has gotten old," Lucy was complaining as they walked in. "I-"

Natsu lifted his head, face covered in chocolate sauce and sprinkles, the second they walked in. And as he was facing the door and she was looking over at them, it was easy for him and Lisanna to make eye contact.

"Lisanna," he said simply, cutting his girlfriend off. And Happy, who was next to him, looked up too, excited at the mere mention of her name, no doubt glad to have a reprieve from Natsu and Lucy's flirting. The blonde wizard, who was facing the other way, only glanced over her shoulder before smiling slightly. Then she saw who she was with and the grin grew.

Bickslow spotted them too and only dropped his arm from around her shoulders before leaning down to whisper, "Go sit with your friends. I'll get you a sundae, huh?"

And she was thought he was being mature, all things considered, but then realized that's what they were supposed to be always.

Pappa and Puppu followed her over to the table, the other three following their father. Once she got to the booth, Lisanna only slid in next to Lucy, though her eyes were on Natsu.

"New fashion choice?" Happy asked her, cocking his head to the side. It was only then that she realized she was staring at them through bars and she still had on Bickslow's helmet. With a blush, she pulled it off and sat it on the table.

"I was just-"

"You and Bickslow friends now?" Natsu asked as Lucy shot him daggers.

"That's a rude thing to say, Natsu," she reprimanded. "Everyone in Fairy Tail-"

"Yeah," Lisanna said, after swallow. "We are."

And then Natsu grinned. "Oh, good. I thought, wow, you clean someone's apartment once and all they do is take you out to get ice cream weeks later? But if you guys are friends, then it's cool. Like how Lucy kindly takes me and Happy here out for ice cream on her dime because we're friends."

"No, Natsu," Lucy sighed. "I always have this sinking hope that you're going to step up and pay, but you never do."

"You always say never change, Luce," he reminded.

Then with a few more gulps of ice cream, he and Happy were both finished with their ice cream. And after a pat to his belly, Happy addressed Lisanna.

"Do you wanna come with us?" he asked her. "We were gonna go hangout at Lucy's apartment."

Lisanna paused for a moment, as only weeks before she'd have jumped at the offer. Then she looked at the helmet resting on the table in front of her and only shook her head.

"No," she told him with a soft smile. "I'm with Bickslow tonight."

When they left, Lucy hugged Lisanna and quietly made her promise to tell her everything later and she only grinned back because Lucy had no idea how envious the other woman was of her at times.

Once it was just her at the table, and two of the babies, Lisanna smiled because that was a big step in itself, what had just happened. And honestly, she wasn't even sad about not getting to go out with them, to go hangout with them. Because she had something better. Better for her.

"Your friends go?" Bickslow asked when he came over to her with their ice cream. She only giggled as he sat down across from her.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm kinda glad. Now we get to be alone."

"Not completely," he told her as the other babies landed on the table as well. "But good enough, huh?"

"Definitely," Lisanna giggled. He only grinned at her, tongue tumbling from his mouth like usually. "I'm a little surprised though."

"At?"

She nodded at the bowl of ice cream in front of him. "That that's all your getting."

"Oh, trust me, kid, it's not." He winked. "Just if I got all of it at once, the ice cream'd melt, huh?"

"Guess you're right."

He shifted in his booth then, making a face. Lisanna only frowned.

"Something wrong, Bickslow?"

"Just this shirt. It feels weird, you know? Against the bandage? Like I told you."

"We didn't have to go out. I just-"

"Nah, it's cool, kid," he told her. "I'm just being a big baby, huh?"

"Mmmm." Then she paused. "I guess though, that I better go home with you tonight."

'Oh yeah? How you figure?"

She wouldn't look at him though as she stabbed her ice cream sundae with her spoon. "'cause," she began. "You need someone there in the morning, huh? After your shower? To bandage it? It'd just be easier if I stayed the night. Don't you think?"

"That's another one," he told her with a grin.

"Another what?"

"Another what?" the babies asked, also curious, apparently.

"Invalid question." Then he winked. "Never has to be asked again."

"Yeah," she told him, smiling down then at her ice cream. "Same."

 


	10. Chapter 10

  


"Wow," Mira whispered softly to Laxus as she watched the man across from her in awe. "Does he always eat like that?"

Her boyfriend only sat there, arms folded over his chest as he too stared at the helmeted man.

"Unfortunately, yes," he sighed.

"And it's only a basket of chips."

True to form, Bickslow was currently over indulging himself with the basket that the waitress had set on the table. In his defense, he'd trained all day long and hadn't had a chance to get anything to eat. Right after his training session with Freed, he'd had to rush off home to shower and get ready for his date.

"Ha," Elfman laughed as he too sat at the long table, Evergreen across from him and next to Laxus. "That's how a real man eats!"

"It is not," his girlfriend told him. "And if you begin to do that, we will be having a long discussion on manners."

"Bickslow," Lisanna whispered softly as he continued to shovel chips down his throat.

"Hmmm?" He glanced at her then his tongue still hanging out of his mouth. "You want some, kid?"

"Want some, kid?" the babies asked, Poppo from atop her head and the others from the air. "Want some?"

"N-No," she told him, glancing at her sister then, who was across the table from her and was still staring at Bickslow. Softly, she asked him, "But could you knock it off?"

"Knock what off?"

"Knock what off?" the babies mimicked. Evergreen only rolled her eyes and fanned herself. Elfman grinned at her though.

"Isn't this great?" he asked them all then. Laxus was mostly sneaking peeks down the low cut front of Mira's dress and only grunted. "All of us here? Together?"

"Feel like we're missing someone," Mira said truthfully. "Or that you guys are. Don't you, Laxus? Feel like there's someone that you should have-"

"Mira, I told you, inviting Freed would have been awkward," the man grumbled. "He's not dating anyone. I didn't even want to invite these idiots."

"Behave."

That got a grunt and he looked off then, glared off, really. Lisanna was more focused on keeping Bickslow from choking on a chip.

"Thing they'll get us some more of these?" he asked, frowning when he ate the whole backset. "They were good."

"We can tell," Ever sighed.

"Real men let the ladies get what they want," Elfman grumbled, "before they even thinking about themselves."

Bickslow frowned, lifting his visor then and glancing around at the others. "Did you guys want some or something? Someone should have spoken up."

"Mira," Laxus whispered then, leaning over to brush his lips against her ear. "Can I just go? Because I don't think I can…behave for much longer."

"You're going to have to, Laxus," she told him simply as she reaching forwards to grab her glass of water. "Order a beer or something to calm yourself down."

But he couldn't. Because the last thing he wanted to do that night was go out on a date. Err, rather, a date would have been fine. Had Mira's siblings not been invited. He was only hoping that they all went their separate ways after dinner, but he had a sinking feeling that Mirajane would be inviting them all back to her place for dessert or something.

"Calm yourself down," the babies mimicked, going to circle over Laxus' head then. He only growled and gave Bickslow a very pointed look until the man called the souls back to him. Pappa came to rest in Lisanna's lap, making Mira smile.

"I thought it'd be weird," she admitted, cocking her head to the side then, staring at her younger sister. "Being around your dolls, Bickslow. But they're…sweet."

His tongue fell from his mouth as he smiled at that. "Heck yeah they are."

"Don't encourage him, Mira," Ever told her. "Honestly, don't."

"Babies are…kinda manly," Elfman said slowly. "But dolls aren't at all."

"They're not dolls," he said with a frown while Lisanna only gave him an evil glare.

"Yeah," she agreed. "They're his babies."

"Yeah." Bickslow nodded his head at her and Lisanna giggled.

Laxus blinked. Then he decided he did need that beer.

"Well," Mira said slowly. "Given the alternative-"

"What alternative?" Ever asked.

"They could be human children," she said, thoughtfully. "Instead of…whatever they are."

"Don't talk like that in front of them." Bickslow grabbed Puppu out of the air and held his hands over the side of him, as if to cover his ears. "They're are as human as we need you to be. Huh, Lissy?"

Elfman literally choked on the sip of water he was taking at that moment while Mirajane's grin only spread.

"Laxus-"

"No."

"But-"

"No."

"I want a nick-"

"No."

"One nickname."

'Fine."

"What is it?"

"Mira."

"That doesn't count!"

Lisanna only blushed then though her date was unaware. He was more concerned with the fact that he'd found knick in the smooth top of Puppu's body.

"We gotta get him a new body, kid, when we get home," he told Lisanna then.

"Home?" Mira tuned back into them. "That won't be for awhile."

Ever closed her hand fan then as she turned to glance at Mira. "What do you mean?"

"I thought that we could all go over to my house after," she said. "To play games and-"

Everyone groaned. Laxus literally reached up to rub at his eyes.

"-have some dessert. I made a pie and some cookies and-"

"Alright!" Bickslow let Puppu go then. "Me and the babies, we kick butt at everything! And if there's food, well, then Lissy and I are totally down."

"Can the dolls play games?" Mira asked, actually interested. Laxus rubbed harder at his eyes.

"My babies are super smart," he told her, cocking his head to the side then. "They can do anything. Ask Laxus or Ever. Or Lissy. They know. You just spend some time with them, Mira. See how much you like them."

In the end, she had plenty of time to spend with them, as right after dinner, she did manage to get everyone back to her home for dessert.

"But I don't wanna play games," Laxus grumbled to her as they walked there. "Or eat dessert."

"Do you or do you not want to come home with me tonight, Laxus?" Mira asked as they headed towards the house.

Grunt.

"Then behave."

Lisanna was only trying to keep her blush down, as Bickslow insisted on letting the babies run around while he only threw an arm over her, talking loudly about the height difference between Evergreen and Elfman, who were walking in front of them. He was doing it to bother his teammate, which it finally did when he got a tad…vulgar in his description of how that could become an advantage in certain aspects. And then Mira was having to calm all of them down, threatening them that if they didn't, they weren't allowed in the house.

Because she was not letting them ruin her pie the way they had her stew. She just wasn't.

Upon arriving at home, Mira took Bickslow to the kitchen, as he was the only one that seemed to want any dessert. Elfman and Ever went to take the loveseat while Laxus took the recliner per usual.

"Lisanna," Bickslow's babies laughed as they followed her over to the couch. "Lisanna."

"I hope you know this is your stupid boyfriend's fault, Lisanna," Ever complained as Elfman only threw an arm around the back of the loveseat, sighing slightly. "He was the one that told Mirajane it was a good idea. Not to mention, if you weren't dating him, we wouldn't have to have gone out on this damn date-"

"He's not my boyfriend," she said, blushing. "Or at least I don't think so."

"Leave her alone, Ever," Elfman said. He usually didn't stand up to his (sometimes) girlfriend, but no one picked on Lisanna. She was the baby. "I mean it."

"And if this is anyone's fault, it's mine," Laxus grumbled as he messed with his headphones. "I should have fucking gutted the freak the second he slept with you, Lisanna."

"I don't want to hear about this," Elfman told them all loudly. Then, after a moment, he said, "Though sleeping with women is manly- Ow, Ever!"

She only pinched him again. "Behave."

"Stop that!"

Huffing, she said, "It works with Laxus and Mira."

"Does fucking not," Laxus grumbled. "What? You think she pinches me and tells me to behave I fucking do it? I'm a damn rogue, woman. I don't listen to nobody. I-"

"Behave, Laxus," Mira said simply as she came back into the room with Bickslow, who had a plate stacked with cookies and a large piece of pie. Slipping into her boyfriend's lap, she said, "Before I do more than just pinch you."

"A fucking rogue, huh?" Ever remarked softly to her own boyfriend as Laxus only took to grumbling and Mirajane settled in his lap.

It only got worse from there for Laxus. Mira had all these stupid party games that she wanted to play that reminded him way he hated everyone that wasn't his girlfriend or himself. Even Lisanna was officially on his list, as she continued to encourage Bickslow and his stupid antics. He got way too into the games way too quickly.

Not that Elf _boy_  was much better. He was competitive about everything though, so there was no way Laxus had doubted for a second he would be that way. It did get a tad annoying though, the way he thought for some reason that he had to beat Bickslow at everything because if he didn't, well, that meant he wasn't a man.

Laxus would like to point out that he didn't think any of them were men. And other than Mirajane, the other two weren't women. They were just annoying brats that he wanted out of the house and fast.

Honestly, it was beer that kept him quiet for part of the night. Mira seemed to have lifted his ban of only four a night as she kept bringing him more and more. It was almost like she wanted him drunk. She always thought that there was a sweet spot with his drinking that if she hit it just right, he wouldn't become an angry drunk, but rather a kind one.

She never did rightly learn that spot.

The thing that Laxus harped on the most that night, the drunker he got, was the fact that Bickslow had been nervous about taking Lisanna's virginity. He didn't know why. Just every chance he got, he said something about it. Eventually, Mirajane sent him off to bed as her sister only blushed and Bickslow became very interested in going to find some more pie.

"Elfman," Ever whispered to her boyfriend at one point. "This is awkward. Can we just go?"

"Go where? I'm already home."

"Come back with me to my place."

"No thanks," he said, looking straight ahead as he spoke softly to her. "Hearing about Lisanna…doing  _that_  has completely killed my sex drive for the next year. Honestly. I don't even feel like a man anymore."

"I can hear you," Lisanna hissed at her older brother. And just like that, he was jumping up, taking Evergreen's hand while he was at it.

"See you later, Mira, Lisanna. We're…well, leaving," Elfman said in short as he drug his girlfriend to the door. "This was great. Really. But…we should probably never do it again."

"I agree," Ever said.

"Bye," Bickslow's babies called to them. "Bye!"

"Laxus," Mira took to growling then, after her brother left the house. "Are you in bed? Because you're in big trouble! Now everyone's leaving. Where are you?"

"I'm sleepin', woman!"

She headed off then, towards her bedroom no doubt, to chew out her boyfriend. That left a very red Lisanna to await Bickslow's return. When he came back, he was bearing a plate for her as well.

"Lissy, I brought you- Where'd everyone go?"

She only shook her head as he handed her the plate before reclaiming his seat.

"Elf and Evergreen went back to her house because they felt awkward. And Mira got upset and went to yell at Laxus, but I have a feeling she's not coming back."

"Oh." Then he grinned and laughed that loud, demented one. "That means we won the game and all other subsequent games we were goinna play. Ha!"

Lisanna only blinked. "I've never met someone that uses the word 'subsequent' and the word 'gonna' in the same sentence."

"I'm a man of many trades, Lissy." He had his helmet off then, as he dropped it on the coffee table upon entering and she took some time studying his tattoo. It was really growing on her.

In the month and a half since they'd both agreed that they were officially 'dating' it had actually been pretty nice. Mira had cautioned her on a few things though. Like the way she was just so willing to do whatever he wanted. She told her that if she gave into him so frequently in the beginning, he'd be a nightmare later.

And Evergreen told her that the whole staying multiple days at his place at a time had to stop too. Staying the night once a week was fine, but if she did it more than that too early, she might smother him.

Then Lucy and Natsu just both seemed excited that she finally had a date so she wouldn't just be third wheeling on all of theirs. She and Bickslow'd even went out with them a few times. The first time though, Natsu did take her aside and, though she'd decided that she wasn't going to be interested in him anymore, it did kinda make her heart flutter.

"What's up with you and Bickslow then?" Natsu asked her, breaking off from their little group. Bickslow and Lucy were standing over at the edge of the pond as they walked around the park, her watching as he made his babies do all sorts of cool tricks. Lucy was pretending to be interested for his benefit and that was nice. Part of Lisanna though had a sinking feeling that the blonde might just steal that guy from her too.

"What do you mean? We're just dating."

Natsu glanced hard at her before over at her date, where he was laughing loudly as Happy tried to shove Lucy into the pond.

"Yeah, but Bickslow's, you know, he's one of us, but he's not one of  _us_."

"Last time I checked, Natsu, neither was Lucy until you made her one," she told him before grinning. "Besides, I really like Bickslow."

"So you're gonna be dating from now on then, huh?"

"Looks that way, yes. Or at least I hope so."

Natsu looked around some then, at the darkness around them before taking a step closer to her. Then, when they were practically nose to nose, he asked, "All this 'cause you cleaned his apartment? 'cause I can't even get Lucy to help me clean mine no more. She says if I'm not willing to put in any effort, then she won't put any in. Me and Happy's place needs a lot of work, sure, but-"

"Bickslow and I just really, truly like one another, Natsu," she told him, smiling slightly. Then, taking a step back, she said, "Like how you just really like Lucy."

"Hmmm." He still looked pretty solemn though as he said, "You know though, if this is some sort of trick by the Thunder Legion, I'm totally going to kill them all, huh?"

Then she only giggled and he grinned at her and, for once, she didn't felt a twinge in her stomach. Because she'd always love Natsu, but it was over. More than over. He really, really loved Lucy. And she…well, Lisanna was fairly certain that she was well on her way to that with Bickslow.

Happy, however, was the hardest to win over about her new relationship.

"Huh?" he asked as he and her sat a table one day at the guild Natsu and Lucy had gone for a swim in the pool, but Happy'd stayed behind to talk to Lisanna. They rarely got a moment to be alone anymore.

"Yep," she said, grinning at him. "I-"

"How could you do this, Lisanna?"

"Wh-What?" She frowned at the Exceed. "I thought that this would excite you, Happy. You're always so intent on everyone being all in love and everything-"

"You love him?" Happy sounded even more depressed.

"Happy-"

"Now you and Natsu and Lucy. What's next, huh?"

"Happy, come on. I'm just dating someone. Not-"

"Yeah, but now you're going to be just like Natsu and Lucy."

"What do you mean?"

He was only glared down at his plate of fish. "They don't ever wanna just hangout anymore. It's always a date. And they always kiss and tell each other how much they love each other. I never get to just be around them without-"

"Tell you what," she said then. "It won't matter who I'm dating, alright? If you ever wanna just hangout, you and me, we can. I promise. Things are changing, yeah, but they don't have to become something completely different. It was me, you, and Natsu in the beginning and it'll always stay that way. No matter who Natsu loves or who I end up with. Alright?"

Then Happy was grinning and calling out an, "Aye, sir!" all while reminding her of that day she and Natsu build their little egg that shelter and how well they cared for it. Sometimes she almost felt maternal over the cat.

…Until he did something annoying. Then she just felt homicidal towards him.

At the moment though, she was less concerned with any of her friends and their advice on her relationship and more worried over the fact that Mirajane and Laxus were probably about to end up screwing as she and Bickslow sat out on the couch and heard it.

That would be embarrassing to the highest degree.

Bickslow seemed only interested in his pie at the moment though as his babies circled his head, also concerned.

"I thought Mira said this was blue berry, but it taste more like raspberry, I think. Then again, I could be wrong. I-"

"Did you wanna go somewhere, Bickslow?" Lisanna asked then, watching him. "Or-"

"Hmmm?" He cocked his head to the side. "You want me to leave, kid?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I just-"

"We've never stayed the night over at your place before," he said.

Stay the night?

"But it seems pretty cozy. And this is just the living room." He took a look around. "And you got plenty of snacks. You ain't careful, me and the babies just might move in."

She was still stuck up on the staying the night thing.

"Now, babies," he went on, staring at his children with a harsh look. "When we spend the night at Lissy's, there's a few rules. For one, we can't bother Mirajane or Laxus, huh? 'cause then Papa might be out of the Thunder Legion."

"Papa," they all agreed.

"And Lissy might have things that can break in her room. I know Mira has, like, vases around and stuff. So no running into them, huh? Then you might not be invited back." Bickslow thought for a moment. "Oh. And no bugging us. Alright?"

"Alright," they all agreed. "Lisanna!"

Truthfully, Lisanna was only sitting there, running through her head all the embarrassing things that she had in her room. She was pretty sure when she'd stripped the night before for bed, she'd left a pair of underwear and a bra on the floor. Would he find that disgusting? Even though she totally would just leave them laying around his place?

And his apartment had been a complete pigsty when they first started sleeping together. So could he really make a fuss? Or was it one of those double standard things?

Apparently, she had worried over nothing. When Mirajane and Laxus didn't return, Bickslow took that to mean that they were allowed to drink the beers too. As he put it, Laxus wouldn't remember anyhow, how many he had, so why not take a few?

They got so drunk out there though, that eventually, they just sort of fell asleep out there, on the couch, cuddled up together. That was probably best, as Lisanna's bed was only a twin and they'd have struggled to both fit on it anyhow.

Sometime late though, she awoke to someone moving around the living room. They'd fall asleep with the lights on apparently, and the person was going to turn them off.

"Mira?"

"Shhh. And here's a blanket."

She was laying with her head in Bickslow's lap as he sat up, his head hanging back, over the edge of the couch as his tongue fell out of his mouth. Mirajane only came to lay a blanket over Lisanna with a sigh.

"Thanks."

"Mmmm. You guys ruined my game night though, so don't expect much else from me."

Lisanna only smiled then as Mira left the room once more, going in the kitchen for a moment before returning with a glass of water, no doubt for Laxus, calling out a soft goodnight to her sister as she left.

Then it was just her, Bickslow, and his babies who were strewn around the room. He was still passed out though and she only snuggled closer.

Maybe him staying over wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

As it turned out, Evergreen and Elfman got into a fight that night over something foolish. Lisanna couldn't remember what. But the next morning, Elfman was insistent that they go on a job together and, as she did need the jewels, Lisanna went along with him.

Bickslow was kinda morose about it. That morning when they'd woken up, Mira had fixed them all breakfast, though Laxus only slept the whole day, fighting off a hangover. Bickslow and Lisanna were mighty grateful.

It was while Bickslow caught a shower though and Mirajane and Lisanna giggled about that fact, that Elfman showed up in a sour mood, wanting her to leave with him that instance to go find a job at the guild.

She waited though for her (maybe) boyfriend to come out of the shower first so that they could say goodbye. Also to give Elfman a chance to calm down. He didn't seem willing though.

"You're leaving?"

"Leaving?" his babies complained as Lisanna met a very clean look Bickslow in the hall. He was only wearing his jeans, not bashful in the slightest. He was mostly upset that his Mohawk was down, really. "Lisanna?"

"I have to. Elfman wants to go on a job."

"Right now?"

"Yeah. I-"

"I'll walk you to the guildhall. If you really gotta go."

"I really do."

He walked the whole way down to the guild hall with his arm over her shoulders, his helmet not hiding his down turned lips. He was pouting.

"Don't know why ya gotta go," he was grumbled as Elfman led the way down the street. "Said I'd loan you cash."

"Bickslow, you can't keep giving me jewels."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't afford to pay you back."

"Who loans money to their friends expecting them to pay them back, huh?"

"Uh, most people, Bickslow."

He only grunted. "Well not me! I loan you money 'cause I want ya to have it. That's all. I don't think you're actually getting it back to me."

"That's called a gift, Bickslow."

"Then I'm giftin' ya some jewels, huh? Then can you stay?"

"Don't get clingy."

"Don't get clingy," his babies agreed. "Papa."

He only groaned though, leaning down to nuzzle her neck. Lisanna tensed as she'd never rightly gotten behind public displays of affection. He had no qualms about them though. The second that they both agreed that yes, they were an item, he'd taken to touching her as much as possible. Hugging her, giving her kisses, holding hands. Bickslow was fine with them all.

"I might take one too then, while you're gone," he said softly as he turned to kiss the side of her head. "Alright?"

"That's fine."

"Maybe even take a solo one. I'll pick you something up, huh? While I'm out of town?"

"Something? What do you mean?"

"I dunno." He shrugged slightly. "I ain't ever bought a gift for a woman before. What sorts of things do you like?"

"Nothing, really. I-"

"Ever likes chocolates," Elfman said, not glancing over at them. "But I won't be getting her any! Because she's not manly enough to be with me!"

"Oh, Elf," Lisanna sighed. "You know that we'll stop off and buy her some expensive chocolates before we get back to Magnolia."

"I will not," he growled. "No woman like that is going to treat me like anything less than a man." Then, after a pause, he glanced over his shoulder. "And get your arms off my sister!"

Bickslow dropped his arm before grinning at Elfman, his tongue falling from his mouth, wagging slightly,

"Don't you know I'm only keeping her warm?"

"Well keep her warm some other way!"

"Elfman," Lisanna groaned, blushing slightly. "Honestly."

Upon arriving at the guildhall, they found Kinana, who had opened the bar, and only a few other members scattered around. It was still early, after all.

There was one in particular though, standing in front of the request board that brought Elfman some particular attention.

"What are you doing here, Evergreen?"

She only stood there, back to the board, as she crossed her arms and glared over at him.

"Do you think, Elfman Strauss, that you can just storm out of my apartment, making a scene, come here and take a job without even discussing it with me?"

"I'm a man! No one tells me-"

She reached up, messing with her glasses. "Test me, Elfman. I mean it."

The two of them took to arguing while Bickslow only led Lisanna over to a table where they could sit alone with his babies. He was still pretty down about her getting ready to take off.

"You sure you don't want me to go with ya?"

"No, Bickslow," she sighed as he rested his head on the table, staring at her. "You can't come."

"Even if I go out on a job, I'mma be super bored without you," he told her. "And horny."

"B-Bickslow-"

"Well."

"Well."

Then he winked. "Gonna get you the best gift ever, kid. Swear."

"Mmmm."

"And you don't worry about getting me or the babies nothing. 'cause we don't want nothing! We just wanna get you something."

"I don't need anything, Bickslow."

"Did we ask?"

"No," the babies answered for her.

"That's right. So you just wait."

"Wait, Lisanna," his babies said. "Wait."

But she couldn't. Because Elfman and Ever were heating up then and he looked around ready to smack her. Especially considering she kept hitting him. Finally, Elfman just snagged a job off the board without glancing at it before yelling that he never wanted to see her again. And Evergreen only kicked him in the shin and said that if he wasn't careful, he wouldn't ever see anyone again. Because his eyes would be stone.

When they left the guildhall, just brother and sister, all Elfman did was complain to Lisanna about how Evergreen never respected him. If she wasn't denying their relationship, then she was trying to dominate it. Emasculate him. And he just wasn't going to take it!

Lisanna only wished that Bickslow had been able to walk them down to the train station, but he'd been busy calming Evergreen down, so that was a no go. It was just her and her big brother probably for the next five days or so. And depending on when Bickslow took his job, he might even be gone when she got back.

At least she had her gift to look forwards to, she figured. He'd seem real pumped about getting her that. And though she didn't have very high hopes about what it would be considering who the man was, it was still did make her feel a little special. Laxus brought Mirajane stuff back all the time. Necklaces, rings, bracelets, vases, even artwork sometimes. And if he got something in lieu of pay for a job, it usually went to her before he'd actual sell it, just in case she wanted it.

But they were in love. So Lisanna figured her gift would be held to a different standard, more than likely. Not to mention, Bickslow wasn't Laxus. In the slightest. He might respect the guy, revere him to the fullest degree, but he was not him at all.

So it's probably be something silly. Like a gag gift. But that would be nice too. Because Bickslow was nice.

The second they made it on the train though and were pulling away from the station, Lisanna took to reading over the job request while Elfman only hung his head and began to regret his decision.

"She's probably gonna go out and find a real man," Elfman sighed as Lisanna took to rubbing his arm. Sniffling, the man said, "I shouldn't have yelled at her. We got this far only for me to screw everything up. She's so perfect for me, Lisanna. You don't even know."

She only sighed, continuing to rub his arm. "It's okay, Elf. She loves you, so-"

"Not anymore. Not after how horrible I was to her."

"You know that you guys are just…passionate," she offered up. "I'm sure she's feeling the same about you right now."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

He glanced down at Lisanna then, some tears still in his eyes, but they didn't fall. Then he just moved to pat her gently on the head.

"Don't tell Mira, Lisanna, but I think you're my favorite."

"Considering I overheard you telling Mira that the other day when she made us dinner, I won't."

"You heard that, huh?"

Giggling, she took to leaning against him. "You're my favorite too, Elf."

"Now I know that's a lie."

She only closed her eyes though. Because as nice as it felt to be with Bickslow, sometimes it was good to get away from him. Great even.

 


	11. Chapter 11

  


The first thing Elfman did when they got back into Magnolia was head over to Evergreen's apartment. It was late when they arrived, probably growing close to midnight, and he was headed there with a pack of gourmet chocolates and a promise to his sister that he'd see her the next day.

Not before making sure that she could get home on her own alright. He made her swear to go straight there. Like she was a little kid or something. Ugh.

So of course she promised and even headed that way… Then she totally went to Bickslow's apartment.

That awkward feeling was there though, as she stood outside the door. It was rather late for visitors, she knew, but he had been the one that wanted her to come calling the second she got back into town. Not to mention, what was the worst that could happen?

He could not answer. Or be in there with another woman. Or yell at her. Or-

"Lissy!"

Or he could totally just pull her in for a big hug and about knock her down in the process.

"Bickslow," she complained as he shut the door the second he drug her in there.

"Babies!" he called out as he helped her stand up straight once more. "Lissy's home!"

And then she was being pelted with wooden bodies as the babies called out their own greetings. Then Bickslow was hugging her again and Lisanna could only laugh because it felt so silly that she'd been afraid only moment before about his reaction. As crazy as he was, anger was usually the furthest emotion from his spectrum.

"Wish I'd know you were gonna be here. I'dda bought, like, a cake or something."

"I was gone for four days, Bickslow."

"Four days too long," he said as he let her go. Then he let out a slight breath. "I never got around to taking my own job."

"You didn't?" She was still being bombarded by the babies who were turning it more into a game then than anything else. With a sigh, she said, "Bickslow, can you make them-"

"Enough, babies," he sighed, making a face at them. He was only in a pair of boxers and had clearly been sleeping before she banged on his door. "How many times we gotta go over that Lissy doesn't like that? Huh? Say sorry."

"Sorry," they all chimed as Pappa came to rest atop her head and Pippi went to take one of her shoulder, Puppu getting the other. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she giggled as Poppo and Peppe came then to rest in each of her palms. Bickslow just stared at her for a moment, taking in how nice it was to see her caring for his babies, before shaking his head and turning to go back into the bedroom.

"You said something about not taking a job?" Lisanna asked as she followed, taking all the dolls along with her. "Bickslow?"

"Yep," he agreed. "None that struck my interest."

"Then you didn't…" She felt gauche again, the next words tumbling from her mouth without her consent. "You didn't get me a gift?"

"Didn't get you a- Hey, Lissy, me and the babies might be a lot of things, but promise breakers we are not." Then he paused. "Well, we're that too, but not with you. Promise."

She only followed him into the bedroom as he went over to his dresser. Though they'd been working at keeping his place clean, it was still a little cluttered up there. The one thing that stood out to her though was the one thing that he was currently picking up.

"You like it?" He held the golden chain between two fingers, letting the pendant on the end dangle. "I searched everywhere for something, yeah? Thought about getting you all sorts of different stuff. Maybe even making you something. But I was coming up short. And then, when I was a few towns over, Pappa flew into a display stand at a merchant shop and as I was picking it up and paying for what he broke, I found this."

Lisanna only stared at it for a moment, her eyes finding the pendant in the darkness and barely being able to make it out. The babies in her hand flew off when she tossed them gently into the air. Then she reached out and took the necklace into her hand before feeling the indentions in the pendant with her thumb.

"See? I ain't as dumb as I look." He winked at her, she was pretty sure, but she wasn't paying him much attention. Only her gift.

It was a knight's helmet engraved in the pendant. An old fashioned one, from medieval times.

"Like what I told you-"

"That you saw in Edolas. Yeah." Bickslow lost some of his enthusiasm then as she only ran the pad of her thumb over the pendant again. "So…you like it?"

Looking up at him then, into his eyes, she could only grin. "I love it."

"Oh." He let out a breath. "Good."

"It's just…"

"Just what?"

"It looks kinda, I dunno, expensive? Or something? I don't… No one's ever bought me something before. Other than Mira or Elfman, really. And Laxus bought me a hat once, but-"

"It was actually pretty cheap, compared to the shit Pappa broke," he said as the doll on her head moaned. "Hardly cost me a thing."

"O-Oh."

Then he bit his wagging tongue as it hung out of his mouth. "Or was I supposed to not tell you that? Never mind then. It uh…cost me a rent payment!"

"Well, I'd hope not."

"It didn't," he assured her with a wink. "Just trying to make myself sound like I'm a high roller or something. I mean, it actually only- Lisanna."

She only moved to wrap her arms around him then, burying her head in his bare chest. The babies all took to the air then, excited that Lisanna was. After a moment, Bickslow moved to hug her back.

"Now," he told her softly as he leaned his head down to nuzzle hers. She'd seen Laxus do the same to Mira a lot and it made her feel even warmer inside. "You'll always have a knight with you. Even when I'm not there. Huh?"

Removing her head then from his chest, she stared up into his eyes with her deep blue ones and only smiled. Bickslow took this as a good sign and went ahead and kissed her for the first time since she'd gotten back.

"Missed you," he told her softly. Lisanna was still blushing though she couldn't recall when she'd started, only that she had been for awhile at that point. Bowing her head again, she mumbled those words back to him as she rested against his chest.

Then his hands, which had found their way down to her hips, were pushing her shirt up slightly only to be met with the thin fabric of her undershirt. That was no problem as they slipped between there too, leaving his cool touch against her bare flesh and making her shiver.

"B-Bickslow."

"Mmmm?"

"I…I really need to shower."

"Why?" He literally sniffed her hair then. "You smell fine to me."

She slipped out of his grasp then, though it wasn't hard. He wasn't, like, restraining her. And when she took a step back, he only stared at her.

"I haven't taken one since I left. And I feel really sweaty and icky-"

"That's fine," he said. "It's how you'd feel anyways, after we-"

"Shower," she cut him off. "I just want to shower first. Alright?"

"If you wanna." Then, grinning, he said, "Hey, you should go in there anyhow."

"What do you mean?"

"C'mere."

He took her hand then, the one that wasn't clutching her new necklace (the only one that she was ever going to wear again. Ever. Until the end of time) and drug her with him out of the bedroom and to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, he let go of her hand and jumped a little.

"Ta-da!"

"Bickslow," she giggled as she stood in the cramped space with him. "You cleaned even more."

"Yep! Look." He went to point out the mirror over the sink which had been stained with who knew what since she'd started staying over. "I even bought some of the fancy window cleaner stuff."

"Really?"

"Err, I borrowed some for Ever, but she chewed me out about it, which was pretty much worse than paying actual money."

Lisanna only giggled, glancing over at the toilet which had the seat up, but she couldn't complain much about that. Especially considering all around it was, for once, without a single disgusting stain.

"You really do care about me."

That just kinda slipped out too. It was just something about Bickslow. All her defenses seemed to malfunction in his presence and allow just anything to escape her mouth.

Bickslow seemed as shocked by what she said and turned to glance at her. There wasn't a lot of room to get away from one another in there anyhow.

"Of course I do, Lisanna," he said then as some of the babies filtered into the room, as if to inspect what exactly he and her were doing in there that was so much fun. "Why would you ever think otherwise?"

"I didn't," she assured him. "I mean, I don't."

"They why-"

"It's still…" She only stared up at him before glancing down at the pendant still grasped in her hand. "I meant all of that, okay? What I said? You really are my first…whatever you are. In everything. And I just… It's a lot. That's all."

"Boyfriend."

"Huh?"

"Boyfriend," he said again, staring down into her eyes. She met them then, though sometimes she'd get distracted by the tattoo on his face and glance away. "I'm your boyfriend."

"Really?"

"I thought so," he said. "I mean, I never said anything, but I just- Hey! Careful."

She couldn't help it. She just jumped him then, just as hard as he had out there in the living room when he'd opened the door to find her there. She felt that same joy as he'd felt, just from seeing her, at hearing that. At the confirmation that she finally, finally had a boyfriend.

And not just any boyfriend. One that she actually, truly, cared about. A lot.

"Careful," the babies in there with them scolded as Bickslow took to leaning up against the counter to steady himself. Lisanna only held tighter to him. If he went down or if he found his balance, it didn't matter. She was stuck to him regardless. "Lisanna."

"Sorry," she giggled though he only took to grinning, his tongue falling from his mouth once more.

"That's okay," he said, laughing slightly. "I like you all over me."

"Mmmm. Bickslow."

Boyfriend. It was the one thing that she'd avoided calling him, as she was fearful that it was the last thing he wanted to be coined as. But hearing him say it, it was almost like there'd never been any hesitation about it. At least on his part.

"You wanna take your shower now?" he asked after a moment. He fought back a yawn and she remembered that she'd woken him up by her entrance. And sure, she'd been all keyed up when she got there, but he'd probably been in a dead sleep. "Lissy?"

"Uh, yeah," she giggled, feeling slightly embarrassed by how she'd acted. Letting him go, she took a step back before saying, "I do."

"'kay." He reached out then to ruffle her hair and it was such a weird thing to do, as she couldn't recall Laxus doing that to Mirajane, but then again, she wasn't Mira. And Bickslow wasn't Laxus. So they would have their own special things that they did, just like Mira and Laxus did. Because they were more than just dating.

They were boyfriend and girlfriend. Exclusive.

…Wait, they were exclusive, right?

But he was heading out of the bathroom then, making his dolls go with him. Instead of calling out to him and making him clarify, Lisanna only took a look at herself in the mirror and grinned, because she looked the happiest she'd been in a long time. She felt the joy too, spreading through her.

It wasn't until she had showered though and was stepping out, onto the for once clean tile and reaching out to find a towel that she remembered her pendant he'd gotten her. She'd left it sitting on the counter by the sink. Toweling off some, she just as quickly went to pick it up and slip it on, having a little trouble with the clasp. It looked used. Probably. Not that it made it any less special.

Then she touched the still steamed up glass of the mirror with her hand, it actually feeling cool to the touch as she wiped away the condensation so she could see herself.

It was the only thing she was wearing, the necklace was, and the chain felt nice against her neck. She only smiled then, staring at herself, before moving to finish drying off. She was almost finished when there was a knock at the closed door.

"Just a-"

"I was just giving you something to wear, kid. To bed." Then the door was opening and Bickslow was standing there, grinning at her. "Figured you'd want a shirt or something, huh?"

"Thanks," she whispered as he came closer, staring openly at her. In his hand was one of his usual t-shirts, which he was holding out to her. As if in offering. His eyes though had found the pendant, which made them seem to light up even more.

"Lisanna," he said softly as she took the shirt from him, dropping the towel in her hand while she was at it.

"Bickslow."

And then he reached out to press his finger gently against her nose, as if to tap it, before running it further down, across her cracked lips, from her chin to her neck, and then, finally, to the pendant, where it rested.

His laughter started up then, that dark one, tinged with the air of something sinister and the ominous balefulness of something foul. It was no surprise to her, when other people saw him as something wicked.

But she saw through it. Because he wasn't maleficent. He might possess the ability to be and she was sure, in certain times, he actually was, but at the moment, he was just the guy that she was hopelessly devoted to, making the menacing chuckles almost reassuring to her.

Because they were coming from her boyfriend. Her first boyfriend.

She thought that they would end up doing something that night. And maybe they were going to, before she ruined the moment by going to shower before, but when he took her back to his bedroom that night, it was with the babies in tow and no mention of sex whatsoever. Bickslow only laid down with her and fell asleep with a quickness that reminded her how tired he probably was.

Not that she was much better. The job hadn't been a long or overly complex one, but it had been a little tedious. Not to mention she'd had to put up with a lachrymose Elfman, who fretted the whole time over what sorts of things Evergreen was doing in his absence. So honestly, it was just good to be home.

Err, at Bickslow's. But it felt just as good.

* * *

"I wanted bacon."

"I'm out of bacon, Laxus," Mira said as she sat the plate in front of him. "So-"

"Then go and get some. I wanted-"

"You're getting sausage. I've already made it. So just eat-"

"But I wanted-"

"What do you want me to do? Go slaughter a pig?"

"…If the offer is on the table-"

"Laxus Dreyar-"

"I'm only saying, Mira, that when I want bacon and I get sausage, I-"

"What do you want me to do? And I mean, gosh, Laxus, they come from the same animal."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Burgers and steak come for the same animal, but you don't see someone throwing down major jewels for a good burger dinner, do you?"

Mira narrowed her eyes at him. "Look,  _Laxus_ , that is all we have. I will go to the store tomorrow, alright and-"

"Tomorrow?" Grumbling, he took to stabbing at his scrambled eggs. "But Mirajane, that means that tomorrow morning I'll have to be without bacon too."

"I work all day today, Laxus."

"During your lunch break-"

"And what are you doing all day then that you can't go to the store and buy some-"

"Uh, try being a man, Mira?" He snorted. "I don't do woman shit."

She gave him a look as she went over to the stove to turn it off. "Watch it, Laxus."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it. Recently you've been really-"

The backdoor opening and close stopped that conversation from going any further. Which was good for Laxus, as he'd only been digging himself further and further in.

It was Lisanna coming in though, which of course distracted Mirajane affectively as she rushed to go throw her arms around her baby sister. Lisanna was just as responsive. Laxus only kept eating.

Sausage. When he asked for bacon. What was the demon thinking?

"Lisanna," Mirajane giggled. "Did you just get in? Or-"

"No," she said as her sister released her. "I-"

"She smells like Bickslow," Laxus announced as he finally ate one of the sausage links Mira had fried up for him. Not bad. If that had been what he freaking asked for, at least.

That set the younger woman into blushes as Mira only stared at her. Then she was giggling and reaching up to play with the new necklace that hung from her neck, drawling Mira's eyes there almost immediately.

Not speaking on it immediately, she said instead, "You neglected to come home then, huh?"

"Well," Lisanna said slowly. "I wanted to see Bickslow, so-"

"It's for the best, anyhow," Laxus grumbled.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged at the girl. "I mean, you and Elfman haven't been home in a few days so-"

"Laxus, be quiet."

"What?" he asked, frowning at Mira then. "I was only-"

"Ew, what did you guys- Never mind." Lisanna was red then for another reason as she stared at her older sister with wide eyes. "I don't wanna know."

"We didn't… We only utilized the fact that you guys weren't here to-"

"Anyways," Lisanna said loudly as she walked around Mira then and over to the pan on the stove. She frowned when she found it was empty before glaring at Laxus plate, which was overfilled with eggs. When he saw her eyes, he only snarled a little. Let the brat try to take some of his food. No way.

"Elfman's with Ever," Lisanna went on as she went to the fridge to find something else to eat. Bickslow had tried to take her out to breakfast, but she turned him down. He was actually a little late for a training session with Freed and Ever (or she was supposed to be there, at least. Who knew then, as Elfman was in town), so she didn't want to hold him up anymore. He only told her that he'd be around the guild when he was done there and if she wanted to hangout or something, to meet him there.

Oh, she definitely wanted that.

"Or at least he was supposed to head there," she said as she gave up on her search for food and decided on just a piece of fruit. Going to grab one from the basket on the center of the table, she made eyes with Laxus again who was glaring at her, thinking she was reaching for a piece of his sausage. He was so crazy. "I dunno. She might have kicked him out."

"Or murdered him," Mira offered up. Then she giggled for some reason. She was kinda bonkers too. "Oh, and hey, Lisanna?"

"Hmmm?"

"What's that around your neck then?"

"This?"

"I've never seen it before."

She grinned at her sister as she went to rinse off the apple she'd chosen. Laxus was glancing over then too, moderately interested.

"It was Bickslow present to me," she said, wiping the wet apple off on her jeans before going over to her sister. "See?"

Mira reached out to touch Lisanna's chest, gently lifting the pendant slightly so she could see it better.

"It's a helmet."

"Yeah. Like a knight's helmet."

And then Laxus about just shot himself with a bolt of lightening, just to get away from the awing and the stupid girlish giggles.

Why did Lisanna have to date again?

"I'm gong to take a shower," he grumbled as he stood, finished with his breakfast in record time. He wanted to get far away from them in that moment. "Alone, Mira?"

"What?"

"Never mind," he grumbled, dropping his dish in the sink before heading off. Stupid demon.

"What's his problem?" Lisanna asked, though her cheeks were still rosy as she and her sister giggled some more over the cuteness of the guild's resident seith.

"Laxus? Oh, you know how he is. There wasn't any bac-"

"If you knew we were almost out," they heard him yell from the other room. "Why didn't you buy some? Huh? Answer me that, Mirajane?"

But she didn't. She only rolled her eyes and continued to grin at her younger sister.

"So he bought this for you, huh?"

"Mmmhmm," she giggled. "Then you know what else he did?"

It was Mira's turn to be hesitant. "Do I wanna know?"

"Mira-"

"What, Lisanna?"

"He said that I'm…you know, his girlfriend," she said, speaking softer then, as she felt a little foolish. "And he's, like, my first boyfriend and-"

"Awe." She reached out to pinch her pink cheeks. "You're so cute when you're bashful."

"Mira-"

"Sorry." Patting her sister on the head then, she said, "It's just still cute to me, Lisanna. That you're dating Bickslow."

"You make it sound childish."

"I'm not trying to," she told her truthfully. "And hey, now that he's officially your boyfriend, you know what that means?"

"What?"

"You can move out of our house and go live with him."

Laxus was back, standing there in only his boxers. He'd clearly been prepping for his shower when something disturbed him.

"No," Mirajane said, glancing at Laxus. "Number one, it's not our house, Laxus. It's mine. Number two, he's been her boyfriend for a day. I wouldn't let you go live with him if you tried."

"I really don't want to."

"Good," Mira said as Laxus only crossed his arms.

"And do I really need to see your boyfriend near naked as much as I do?" Lisanna asked. "I feel like this is scarring all my future relationships."

"You don't need any relationships," Laxus grumbled as he continued to glare at Mirajane. "And hey, where's all my soap?"

"Laxus, what are you talking about?" Mira was about done with him for the day, honestly. "There's soap in the bathroom. I just bought-"

"There's a pink bar of soap in there, that smells like…like something that I am not using to wash myself with, but there is no normal soap. Where the heck is-"

"Did you check under the sink?"

"Yes."

"Well… If there's no soap for you in my bathroom, look in Lisanna and Elfman's," she suggested. The master bathroom connected to her bedroom, but her siblings had always shared the guest one. "I'm sure he has some manly soap in there."

Laxus narrowed his eyes. "You want me to put some thing on my junk that your idiot brother has on his junk which goes inside of Evergreen?"

"I hate this house," Lisanna complained, blushing even though she wasn't even involved in the conversation. Mira only made a face at the implications.

"Do you use the soap without, like, lathering it up on a loofah?"

"A what-a?" Laxus repeated. Mira only frowned some more.

"You don't use a washcloth or-"

"Why would I, Mirajane, if it's my damn soap?" Then he narrowed his eyes. "You don't let other people use my soap, do you?"

"No. What are you accusing me of? I-"

"I don't wanna be here for this. You guys are certifiable, I swear," Lisanna said, heading off then with her apple. "I'll be in my room, Mirajane."

But she didn't hear as somehow, she and Laxus got back onto the fact that Mirajane hadn't gotten him any bacon which, for some reason, really bothered the guy. Lisanna only rolled her eyes though as she went to her own bedroom, closing the door safely between her and the insanity of her sister and her boyfriend.

Then she was alone, finally, and only stood there in her room for a moment before grinning.

A boyfriend. It was still fresh.

Going over to her dresser, she stared down at the jewelry box she had. It was mostly filled with things that Mira or Elfman had given her and a few things she'd bought herself.

Not that any of it mattered anymore. She was totally in love with the necklace Bickslow had given her. So much so that she didn't even need any of the rings or bracelets that laid in the box. Just that necklace would be more than enough for her.

Forever.

* * *

When Lisanna got down to the guild that day, it was to find that Elfman was very much still alive and also completely absorbed with Evergreen.

She was clearly upset about something though. More worried, probably. Just from hearing a bit of what she was going on about, she could tell that she was worried that Freed would get upset with her for skipping their training session. Elfman just assured her that he wouldn't let him do anything to her, which was kinda cute.

Lisanna was just more concerned with when Bickslow would show up.

She spent most of her time though with Natsu and Lucy, who were up at the guild for once, neither with much to do apparently. Happy was there too and really wanted them all to go do something fun, but Lucy was broke and Natsu was too hungry to do anything, but lay around and wait for his food.

"New necklace, Lisanna?" Lucy had asked her almost immediately after she sat down. And then Natsu only rolled his eyes when they took to giggling and discussing it in full.

"Girls are so weird," Natsu complained to Happy, who didn't want to admit that he was just as interested in Lucy.

Eventually though, Freed and Bickslow did show up. And Evergreen did get chewed out. More so by Laxus though, who'd arrived by then, and it was actually over the fact that she was being disgusting enough to be in his presence with Elfman.

Laxus was rather cranky that day, apparently.

Not that Lisanna or Bickslow busied themselves with any of that. They and his babies took off almost immediately after he got there with only one explanation.

"I'm hungry," he told her loudly as he pulled her out of the guildhall. "Like in a major way."

Which was fine with Lisanna, who was just glad to be around him. And the babies too, though they were more docile than usual, no doubt also tired from their training.

…Did they get tired? She figured she was too far into the whole relationship to ask at that point.

"So what are we gonna do with the rest of the day, Lissy?" he asked as they sat in a restaurant, his stomach growling quite a bit.

"I dunno. What do you wanna do?"

"Hmmm." His eyes followed a waitress then as she brought food to a table near them. Then he shut his eyes again, head rested against the table. "I dunno either."

"Did you just wanna go home? Or…go somewhere?"

"Somewhere?"

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Like…another town or something? To-"

"Yes."

"You didn't even hear-"

"Don't care what it is. Yes." He sat up then, grinning widely. "Let's go somewhere."

"Bickslow-"

"Let's go… Hmmm. Do you like mountains? Or beaches? Or do you like big cities where people get mugged and stuff?"

"Mugged and stuff?" his babies asked as they fluttered around.

She only stared at him, watching as his tongue fell out in his over excitement. Apparently, she'd said something that wound him up.

"I just thought we'd go a few towns over and, like, shop or something."

That calmed him down some, his babies taking to landing on the table.

"Oh. You wanna shop?" He nodded his helmeted head then. "Cool. Good. That works too."

"Unless you wanted to go somewhere else. Like…a mountain, I think you said. If-"

"Nah, it's probably not a good time for that, now that I think of it," he said with a shake of his head. "Freed and Laxus came down pretty hard on Evergreen."

"Yeah and all for Elfman," she said, making a face then. "Could you imagine?"

"Elfman and Ever hooking up? No. I try very hard not to."

She made a face before correcting herself. "I mean how much trouble she's in over stupid Elfman."

"I can," he said then, shrugging slightly.

"Really?"

"Not for Elfman, no," he said with a shake of his head. "Gross."

"Definitely."

"But if that Ever's thing, that's her thing." Then he grinned. "I'd do it for you. I did it for you."

And she shared her grin then as his eyes shifted, following the waitress. His face lit up even more when she came to drop the food at their table.

"Glad to see I come behind eating though," Lisanna remarked as he dug in. Bickslow only shrugged.

"Close second. Consider yourself lucky."

Oh, she did. She really, really did.

 


	12. Chapter 12

  


"I cannot believe that you live off this stuff."

"Why can't you believe that?" Bickslow asked as he and Lisanna walked along, each with a large paper bag in their hands loaded down with groceries. Err, less groceries and more cupcakes, cookies, candy, and anything else remotely sweet. "You know that I don't cook. So I buy things that I don't need to cook."

"Bickslow, you're gonna, like, die of a sugar overload," she said.

"What? Nah."

"Yeah," she insisted. "This is probably why you're always so hyped up. You have too much sugar in you. I bet you'd, like, crash or something if you went a day without any of this stuff."

"No," he said, shaking his helmeted head. "When I'm out on jobs, I ain't got nothing sweet and I'm fine."

"I bet you're super annoying though. Grumpy and stuff."

"Me? Grumpy? Lissy, have you met me?"

"I've met this you," she said. "But- Hey, isn't that Laxus?"

Turning, Bickslow glanced across the road to the man her girlfriend was pointing out. Sure enough, it was Laxus, who had his own sack of groceries. The problem though was that the bag had ripped and all of the stuff had spilled everywhere.

Needless to say, as they walked over there, they heard the utmost of colorful language. A woman walking by with her young son took to throwing her hands over the boy's ears and giving Laxus a look. He only snarled at her until she scurried off.

"Laxus," Lisanna greeted as she got to him. "Need some help?"

"No, I do not need fucking-" He stopped when he saw who it was, looking up at their approach. Bickslow's dolls had taken to circling around his head and, when the man raised his hand, their master got spooked and yelled for them to get back. Laxus only frowned.

"I was just going to do this," he grumbled, reaching out to pat Lisanna on the head, his usual greeting. "Not shoot lightening at them or something."

"Oh," Bickslow said as Lisanna sat her own sack of groceries down and began gathering up the few of Laxus' that had spilled.

"Here," she said, going to put them in her own sack. "We'll help you out. Where were you going? Your apartment?"

"No," Laxus said slowly. "Your house."

"You shop for Mirajane?" Bickslow took to snickering.

"Don't you always say that shopping is woman's work?" Lisanna asked, taking to giggling too. That time when Laxus flexed, they both knew what he was doing.

"Ah, no, Laxus, we were just-"

"It was a joke!"

And that's how Poppo got turned into apple (Lisanna was insisted that Bickslow buy something healthy) for the duration of their trip to the Strauss household.

"I can't believe that he shot my babies," Bickslow complained as, after dropping Laxus and all his stuff off, they headed back home. "I mean, seriously."

"You know that he can't take teasing."

"Yeah, I know."

When they got home, Lisanna went to work putting all the groceries away while Bickslow went to work making Poppo a new body.

"Papa needs a new diet," Lisanna complained to the dolls as she began putting away all of his different packs of cookies and stuff. "Don't you think?"

"Think," Puppu repeated as he came to rest on her head. "Think."

"Lisanna," Pappa was complaining as he dashed around, annoyed that Puppu was in his spot. "Lisanna."

She only ignored them though as she finished with the groceries. "I think, though, that the only way to get him to eat something other than this junk is if I make him something. Did you know that? I can cook."

"Lisanna can cook," Pippi agreed, zipping around the kitchen at a fast speed. He almost hit her, but luckily she dodged him.

"Be careful, Pippi," she complained, heading then into the living room. "Honestly."

When she sat down on the couch, Pappa dove quickly for her lap, as if to best Puppu.

"Lisanna," the doll said as she only sighed slightly. It was like taking care of five children. Five annoying children. They were all in constant need of attention. Pretty much like Bickslow.

"Alright, the paint just has to dry," the man said some time later when he came out of the bedroom. "Then you got a new body, Poppo."

The apple was still dashing around and, fearful that he'd hit a wall or something and get smashed apple bits everywhere, Bickslow went to grab him.

"You go sit with Lissy too, huh?" he said, setting him in her lap. The other dolls were over there then, resting close to her. "'fore you break something."

He sat with her as well, Bickslow did. Lisanna only smiled as he threw an arm around her.

"So what else is on the agenda for today?' she asked him. "Now that we went to the store?"

"Before Poppo got broke, I thought that we'd go train a little."

"I thought you and Freed usually train in the morning?"

"Not me and Freed, Lissy. Me and you."

"Me and you?" she repeated.

"Me and you?" the babies chirped.

"Yeah." Bickslow reached out to poke her nose gently. "Me and you. Don't you ever train?"

"Sure. With Elf. But I'm not… I mean, you probably train a lot harder than me. I bet-"

'Then I'll do your training as my warm up," he said with a slight shrug. "Open with a run, spar some. That your usual workout?"

"Well, running is a little harsh," she said. "I mean-"

"Never mind," he sighed. "If you don't wanna-"

"No," she insisted then, feeling something come over her. She knew how Bickslow was. He thought that weak people weren't worth his time. You had to be the best of the best to be a part of the Thunder Legion. Or his girlfriend, she figured. "We can train. I'll do whatever you want."

Frowning slightly, he glanced down at her. "You don't gotta, Lissy. Me and the babies, we just-"

"We can go for a run," she told him. "How far do you usually run?"

When he told her, Lisanna's jaw about hit the ground. Noticing this, he only shrugged.

"You just run till you can't, huh? And I'll be with you the whole way," he said. "Then we'll go from there."

So when Poppo's new body finally dried, they headed to the Strauss house so Lisanna could change into something to work out in. They ran into Laxus, who was in the kitchen, making something.

"You can't eat here tonight," he told Lisanna gruffly as they came in through the backdoor. When he saw who she was with, he frowned. "Never mind. Stay."

"I'm not running whatever weird dinner thing you're doing for Mirajane, Laxus," she told him as Bickslow went to go get a glass of water in preparation for their workout. The babies all stayed far away from Laxus though, as none of them wanted to get struck again.

"No, you can," he insisted. "In fact, stay home. And Bickslow? Get out."

"Yes, sir." He turned to head for the door. "Come on, babies. Let's-"

"Bickslow," Lisanna complained. "Honestly?"

"Lisanna, he has shown that he has no problem with breaking their bodies. I might have a bunch in case of emergencies, but what if he keeps shattering them? Huh? Then I run out and have to go out and buy more? Then what? Then-"

'If you shoot one of the babies, Laxus, I'll tell Mirajane," Lisanna threatened before starting out of the room. "And I'm going back home with Bickslow tonight."

"Are not," he grumbled.

"Are too. And we're  _totally_  going to-"

"Lisanna!" Bickslow complained as Laxus glared at him. "Knock it off!"

When she got to her bedroom, she was quick to change before heading out. She didn't really want Laxus to hurt any of the dolls. Or her boyfriend for that matter. When she got back to the kitchen though, she found it to be empty, save her sister's boyfriend, who was sticking something in the oven.

"Uh, Laxus?"

Grunt.

"Where's Bickslow?"

"I made him wait outside."

"Laxus-"

"You don't gotta eat dinner with him tonight," he grumbled. "You can eat with me and Mira, if you wanna. I-"

"He's my boyfriend, Laxus."

"…Haven't you ever heard of abstinence?"

"Laxus-"

He only huffed, glancing back at her. "What are you two idiots doing anyways? Right now?"

"We're going to workout together."

Snort. Then he glanced out the glass backdoor, staring at Bickslow who was out there, jumping around in no doubt excitement over working out.

"You know, you were the one talking about how you had all these other guys for me to date," Lisanna said softly, watching him.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't want them sleeping with you either."

"Why does it bother you so much?"

"I don't know," he grumbled. "It just does. And Bickslow's… I just don't like it."

"You sound like Elf."

That got another snort. Then Laxus went back to chopping some vegetables.

"Stay away from the house tonight then," he told her. "Don't care. I'm making up with your sister. I already told your brother the same thing."

"Making up?'

"Don't play. You know that we haven't been… That the past few days we've been fighting."

"That for the past week you've been a jerk?"

"Lisanna-"

"So you're making her dinner?"

"Of course. She won't come over to my apartment, so I figured when she got off, if I surprised her with dinner and was all attractive and shit, she'll have to forgive me."

Lisanna blinked. "Attractive?"

He nodded. "She likes it when I'm in my undershirt and-"

"Ew, ew, ew. I don't wanna hear about you and-"

"And you think I do you and Bickslow? No. So stop talking about it and I won't mention this again." His back was to her, but she was pretty sure he was as red in the face as she was. "Deal?"

"Deal."

When she got outside to Bickslow, he immediately tossed his arms around her.

"I thought he had, like, locked you away or something," he said.

"Well, you were the one that was so willing to just ditch me."

"A lot of things went into that decision, Lissy."

"And you decided upon all of them in less than a minute?"

"My brain runs at, like, a thousand mile per minute. Swear."

"I believe you," she said as he only released her before moving to tap the pendant resting above her breasts gently. After giggling, she said, "Now let's go for this run, huh?"

* * *

"Kid, next time just tell me that I'm pushing you too far."

"I'm fine," Lisanna mumbled against the cool sheets of his bed. "Peachy. That? That was hardly a workout. I… Bickslow?"

"Hmmm?" He only stood over the bed, staring down at his girlfriend.

"Can you get me some aspirin or something?"

"Sure, kid."

Lisanna only sighed, rolling slowly onto her back. While they had been out there, working out, she'd more or less reached her usual limit. But she'd decided to push herself. Because how bad could it get?

…But then she pushed herself even more. And more. And more. And then, well, she kinda just gave out.

Bickslow thought it was real funny at first. They had been sparring and, when he swept her legs out from under her and she fell, he'd only taken her fall as one of her normal ones. She'd actually been taken down by him every time previous. But then she just laid out there in the empty field and didn't move.

"Get up," he'd said. "Lissy?"

So she did. Again. And again. And even when he wanted to race back to the house, still full of an amazing amount of energy, she went along with him. Because how could she say no? And be weak? He was only sweating a little and she was beyond exhausted, but he valued strength.

She wanted him to value her.

When they got to the apartment, she just went and dropped onto the bed, planning on never getting up again.

"Here you go, Lissy." He was back then, with a glass of water and two pills. When she took them, he only said, "Me and the babies are all keyed up now, huh? So we're gonna go workout some more."

"'kay."

"You need me to do anything for you?"

"Nope."

He grinned at her then. "You did great today. Really. And tomorrow will be even better?"

She didn't have the heart to tell him that there wouldn't be a tomorrow.

When Bickslow got back home that night, it was to find Lisanna in the bathroom, soaking in the tub. He only went in there as well.

"I brought you some takeout," he told her simply as she sat in the water, hardly glancing at him. "I already ate though, so your stuffs in the kitchen when you want it."

She was about to say alright…until he started stripping down too.

Lisanna only stared straight ahead as Bickslow slowly moved to get into the cramped tub with her. They'd had sex, fine, slept in bed together naked, okay, but they'd never bathed together. Ever.

But he had no qualms about it, so she tried to put it out of her mind. He only sunk into the water with a slight sigh.

"I like showers," he told her then. "But this is nice too."

The awkward moment didn't come, really, until Lisanna got out of the bathtub and he stayed in. She felt odd, being so stark naked in front of him for some reason, but Bickslow had taken to washing at that point and only stole a few glances at her.

"Food's on the counter, Lissy," he called out to her after she was toweled off and dressed.

"Thanks."

The babies were waiting for her out in the living room. She was used to her muscles being sore, like, a day after doing something strenuous, but at the moment, the pain was immediate and she wasn't up for them slamming into her.

"Enough," she sighed as they took to their usual greeting, which involved pelting her with their bodies. "Please."

After getting the takeout box from the kitchen and heating it up a little, she took it back with her to the living room where she collapsed on the couch.

"Lisanna," the babies cried, landing all around her. "Lisanna."

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"Meow, meow," Poppo told her, as he had since she transformed into her cat animal spirit earlier in the day, when her and his papa were sparring. "Meow, meow."

"I agree, Poppo."

Bickslow was coming out of the bathroom then, only in a pair of boxers, and nodded his head approvingly.

"Lissy is a very attractive cat," Bickslow said. "The little ears, the paws. Very sexy."

"Meow, meow."

"Meow," his master repeated. Lisanna only rolled her eyes.

"We're not doing anything tonight, Bickslow," she told him as he came over to the couch, lifting her feet so he could sit down before dropping them back in his lap. "I'm too-"

"It's cool, kid," he said as he began to mess with her foot. She thought he was trying to tickle it and tried to kick away, but he held tight. "Just relax, huh? Me and the babies, we shouldn't have run you so ragged. I could tell you were tired, but I kept it up. I'm sorry."

"I'm not some frail person, Bickslow," she told him with a frown. "I'm a mage. I-"

"I know, Lissy. But still."

She wanted to argue, but, well…what he was doing to her feet did feel rather nice. And she was kinda tired. So she let him continue as she only sat there, eating, as the Poppo kept meowing, Pappa was whining that Pippi and Peppe was in his other spot, on her tummy, and Puppu rested on Bickslow's shoulder, ignoring the other dolls as his papa just kept messaging her feet.

They must have spent an hour or so doing that, just killing time. Eventually they all moved to the bedroom, where Pappa immediately took to snuggling up to her before the other dolls could. She only rolled her eyes though, watching as Bickslow crawled into bed as well.

"I think Pappa's jealous."

"Aw, he just likes you, that's all. Huh, Pappa? You just like Lissy, don't you?"

"Don't you?" the other dolls seemed to mock.

"Like Lissy," Pappa agreed, unabashed. "Like Lissy."

"That's okay," he assured his doll as he snuggled up to Lisanna as well, making the woman giggle. "I like her too."

* * *

"You sure are perky today."

"No more than usual," Mirajane told Erza as she sat a plate of food in front of the other woman. The red head only eyed her suspiciously from her spot at the bar.

"Is that so?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Because you've been humming incessantly this entire time-"

"She's just happy that Laxus and her made up last night."

The two women glanced up as they were joined by Mira's younger sister, who practically fell into one of the stools at the bar.

"Hi, Lisanna," Mira greeted, giggling slightly at her words. "And what do you know about that then, hmmm?"

"I saw Laxus going shopping, before, and stopped by the house to get some stuff while he was cooking," she sighed as she moved to rest her head against the bar. Frowning then, Mirajane reached out to pat her on the head.

"You okay? You're not sick or anything, are you?"

"No," she sighed. "Just tired."

"From?" Erza prompted, staring worriedly down at her as well.

"Bickslow."

Erza's face turned about the shade of her hair then as Mirajane only blinked.

"L-Lisanna-"

"I mean…" She was blushing then too, sitting up slightly. "We were training yesterday. That's all. And I might have pushed it a little."

"O-Oh," Erza said, glancing at Mirajane who only let out a soft sigh. "He trains hard then, I take it?"

"Very," she said, making a face before resting her head against the bar again. "And I only wanted to keep up. But ugh, he's too much for me."

Giggling then, Mirajane reached out to pat her sister on the head one last time.

"He is quite energetic," Erza agreed.

"Very," she sighed. "Though I think that has more to do with what he eats."

"What do you mean?" Mira asked.

"All he eats is, like, sugary stuff. Constantly."

"Makes sense," she agreed before going to get her sister a glass of water. She always refused to serve her alcohol for whatever reason. Ugh. Everyone loved when Mira worked, but Lisanna far preferred Kinana.

"I wanted to, like, make him dinner or something," she said then. "But I wouldn't know what to make him."

"What does he like?"

"Anything, I think," she told her sister. "He just kinda shovels food in his mouth."

More giggles. Then Mirajane said, "My lunch break is in an hour. What if we go to the store and we can find something you can make him?"

"I want to do it myself, Mira. Like Laxus did for you."

"You can," she assured her. "I'll just help you pick some stuff out. That's all."

So that's what they did. And Lisanna felt kinda bad about running Mira's break, but her big sister only assured her that it was fine. She even helped her carry the groceries back to Bickslow's apartment.

"He already gave you a key?" Mira asked, shocked.

"No," Lisanna sighed. "He just never locks the door."

Widening her eyes, she said, "Perhaps you should keep that quiet, hmmm?"

When they got into his place, Mirajane helped her younger sister start on the meal before giving her a few instructions and heading back into work. It was the first time she'd been in Bickslow's place and, against Lisanna' better judgment, she let Mira look around some.

"I just have to make sure that you're, you know, safe here."

"By peeking into his bathroom?"

"Well, I thought you'd yell at me if I went through his dresser drawers."

"Mira, get out!"

Once she was  _finally_  alone in the apartment, Lisanna set out on making the meal. It wasn't hard. In fact, it was already cooking in the oven by the time Bickslow showed up.

"What smells?" he asked as the babies dove towards the couch where she was sitting, reading a book.

"I made you something."

"Ah, cool!" He was excited immediately, closing the door behind him. "Is it a cake? Cookies? Ice cream?"

"Who bakes ice cream, Bickslow?"

He only stood there, knocking his helmet off his head as he stared at her.

"What is it? A pie?"

"I made us dinner, silly," she told him. "So calm down."

"Dinner, huh?" He went to set his helmet down on the coffee table before joining her on the couch. "What sorta dinner?"

"A casserole."

"Hmmm. And there's no cake?"

"Bickslow-"

"Anyhow," he said as he moved to take her book from her hands, ignoring the woman's protests as he sat it near his helmet. "Me and the babies had a good workout. You think that you'll wanna go with us tomorrow, maybe?"

"No," she complained. "Yesterday was enough for me. Just like I told you."

"Aw, Lissy." He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her from reaching out to grab that pesky book again. "I won't work you out so hard again. I promise."

"Bickslow-"

"We'll just go for a little run, yeah? And then only do some sit-ups and pushups. Then-"

"Do you really think I'm weak?"

He frowned at that as the babies who were in her lap only repeated the question.

"Think she's weak?" they asked Bickslow. "Papa?"

"No," he said, frowning. "What is it with you and that word, huh? I have never said that, Lisanna."

"I just-"

"You're as strong as you need to be, kid." He nuzzled against her neck. "I just like training with someone. And I like you. So common sense would lead to me to putting two and two together."

"I just don't see us as compatible. To work out together."

"But it's like I told you, kid. I'll workout with you until you get tired, then I'll just go on without you. Like the first day."

"Yeah, but won't that annoy you? That I'm-"

"You ain't gotta be as strong as me. Or workout as much as me. Have as much stamina or whatever. Me and the babies don't care none. Do we, babies?"

"No," they all agreed as Pappa took to the air to land on her head, apparently not liking have to share her lap with the others. "No, Papa."

"The princess can't be stronger than the knight anyhow," he told her softly as he rested his forehead against the side of hers. "Else she wouldn't need him."

That night when they finally got down to eating, Lisanna found that it didn't matter what she made Bickslow. He engulfed it with the same gusto as he did everything.

"Slow down," she complained as they sat with their legs crossed on his bed together, their plates of food between them. "You're gonna choke. And don't you ever just enjoy anything?"

"It's great, Lissy," he said after swallowing what was in his mouth. Reaching behind him, he grabbed his glass of water off the night stand. "Real great."

"I spent all that time on it, Bickslow. You could at least-"

"I do like it. It tastes good," he insisted. "What do you want me to do? Savor it?"

"Well, I wouldn't hate it."

He only grinned though as the babies all around laughed.

"Don't get all girly on us now," he warned. "And besides, I'm glad that you made it for me. You can cook for me for the rest of your life, if you wanna."

"Trust me, I don't."

'That's okay too. Just this once was great. Anything else would just be overkill."

"You're so stupid."

"Maybe," he agreed making her smile. He could always do that. No matter how annoyed she was with him, just a few words from his mouth and she'd be grinning again like it was nothing.

Just then though, there was a knock at the front door, running their moment.

"Is that a delivery man with my cake?"

"There is no cake," Lisanna complained as Bickslow rushed to the door. "I never even mentioned one. You did."

"Bet it's our cake, babies."

"There isn't a-"

But then he was at the door and opening it…only to find a weeping Elfman.

"Is Lisanna here?" the man asked through tears. "I need to see her."

"Lissy," Bickslow called as he took a step back then, letting the man in. But she had already heard, all the way from the bedroom, and was rushing in to find out what was up.

"Elf," she said as she rushed to his side, Bickslow's babies following. "What's going on? Are you hurt? Is Mirajane? What?"

"It's Evergreen," he sobbed as she took to grabbing one of his arms and pulling him over to the couch.

"Ever?' Bickslow seemed shocked as he shut the front door. "She's hurt? Where's she at? Where-"

"No," he wailed. "It…it… She kicked me out!"

Lisanna blinked before her shock made her sit down on the couch as well.

"Come again?" she asked as Bickslow only took to frowning at the man.

"We got into a fight again," Elfman insisted. "And she kicked me out. But when I tried to go home, Laxus was there, again, and said that he and Mirajane couldn't go back to his place for some reason and that I wasn't allowed in the house. I was going to fight him, but he told me that it didn't matter. If I stayed, he'd still…still…"

"Still what?" Bickslow asked.

"Still…" He glanced at Lisanna before blushing slightly. "You know. Still do…naughty things to Mira even if I was around. And that they'd be real loud about it!"

Apparently, the deal was only between Lisanna and Laxus, Elfman not being included.

Lisanna shared his blush. "Well, why'd you come here?"

"'cause I don't have nowhere to go. And I guess I could stay in a motel, but then Ever would think I was with a woman and then we'll just keep fighting and-"

"You wanna stay here?" she asked in shock. "Elfman-"

"You can have the couch," Bickslow said then making his girlfriend glance at him. He only shrugged. "There's some casserole in the kitchen too. Just don't mess anything up."

"O-Okay," Elfman said slowly. Then the tattooed man took to snickering.

"I'm just messing with you. Mess anything up you want! It's a free-for-all!" Then, after his babies got excited and started laughing too, Bickslow sobered. "But there is one rule."

"What's that?"

"You gotta train with me in the morning, since Lissy's too tired. Deal?"

Elfman glanced at his sister, but she only shrugged.

"Deal," Elfman said.

"Great." Then Bickslow headed off to his bedroom before returning with his plate. "I'mma get some more casserole, Lissy. You better come get your share, Elfman, before I eat it all."

"Bickslow," Lisanna hissed as, after making sure Elfman was okay, they both went to his bedroom. "What was that?"

"I don't know, Lissy. You're the one that made it, not me. I thought you said it was cass-"

"Not the food, Bickslow. With Elfman," she clarified. "Why were you being so nice to him?"

"Because," he said with a shrug. "I know what it's like to be intimidated by both Ever and Laxus. More Laxus than Ever, but she's pretty dang scary too."

"Yeah, but-"

"It's one night, Lisanna," Bickslow said with a shrug as he and the babies went to fall back into bed. "What's the worse that can happen?"

"Uh, gee, Mirajane and Laxus decided to just take over the house and never let me or Elfman live there again?"

"Then you and him could stay here with me and we could all hangout together." He patted the bed. "Now get back over here. Your brother's fine."

Sighing, Lisanna reclaimed her spot before saying, "I hope you know we can't do anything with him here."

"What?"

"Yeah, Bickslow. Duh. He's right outside the door. He'd hear."

"And?"

"And it would be awkward for me," she said, blushing just from the thought. "So no. We can't."

"Hmmm. And it'd be that way if you and him both came to stay with me too?"

"Most certainly."

"Maybe this whole thing ain't gonna work out."

"Surprise, surprise."

"Then it's our job, Lissy, to get him and Ever back together," Bickslow insisted then. "Not tonight though because right now, I just wanna eat this casserole."

"Uh-huh."

"And before, I totally planned on fooling around, but since that's off the table-"

"It never even was on the table, really."

"-I guess I should find something else to do with my night. Hmmm. You think Elfman likes to play cards?"

She only rolled her eyes as the babies came to rest on her head and lap. It would be a long night.

 


	13. Chapter 13

  


"Why did you tell Elfman where Bickslow lives?"

Laxus only frowned for a moment, narrowing his eyes at Lisanna, before opening the door more and stalking back over to the bed. Lisanna took that as all the confirmation she needed to come in. Besides, he was in his boxers, which he never seemed to be bashful about.

"Mira," he grumbled as he climbed back into bed. "Door for you."

But she was curled up the other way, her own pair of headphones on and didn't move in the slightest.

"Mira ain't up for taking calls at this hour," Laxus grumbled as he pulled the covers back up around himself. "So-"

"It's freaking ten in the morning, Laxus. And you know what I spent last night doing?"

Again, he narrowed his eyes as she only came further into her sister's bedroom.

"We had a fucking deal, Lisanna," he told her harshly.

"Ew, no." She made a face. "Elfman came over last night, thanks to you kicking him out and Ever being mean to him, so I got to spend the whole night listening to him and Bickslow play cards. But could I play?"

"I'm assuming no, but-"

"That's right. Because I wasn't manly enough. Then, when I got up this morning, they were gone before freaking sunrise to go train. Again, without me!"

He blinked. Then he rolled over, giving his back to her, before pulling Mirajane closer. The sleeping woman made a slight noise, but only allowed him to cuddle her close as he rusted around under the sheets. Lisanna frowned at this before he produced his own Sound Pod.

"We sleep better this way," he told her simply as he began to latch a headphone to one of his ears. "Now, if you're asking me to make Bickslow and Elfman to be nice to you, I would have loved to, Lisanna. Before you turned into a total brat and basically told us all to butt out of your life. So goodbye now."

She only took to sticking her tongue out at him before turning to leave. Waking Mirajane up would be pointless. When she found out that Laxus had been telling her and Elfman both to stay way from the house for the last few days, she'd only take to arguing with him over it and her own problems would never be solved.

Still, while she was home, she figured she'd use it to her advantage. Heading off, she went and grabbed a shower and settled down some. Bickslow and Elfman would be gone awhile.

And besides, it wasn't them that she was particularly concerned with.

"Hi, Lisanna," Mirajane greeted some time later when she came into the kitchen to find her sister frying something up in the skillet. "You hungry?"

She only stared at her sister with a frown. "So what? You're just not going in today?"

"Nope. Off day."

"How?"

"Lucy came to me yesterday and asked if she could work a few shifts. She's low on money and Natsu and Happy don't want to take a job, so I told her she could. She knows how, anyways. And Kinana is there." Mira shrugged slightly. "I figured you could go in for the night shift for me."

"You did?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And why would I-"

"Because you're my baby sister and I love you."

"Mira-"

"Please?" She giggled slightly as Lisanna went to go look in the fridge for something other than what her sister was making. "I'll love you forever."

"You already love me forever."

"That's what you think."

"Mirajane-"

"I guess I could go in," she sighed, glancing over at her sister. "I just wasn't planning on it. That's all."

"What were you going to do?"

"This. All day. Nothing. Listen to music with Laxus, talk, eat, nap. Oh, and snuggle. A lot."

"Because I really needed to hear about that last one."

"Well, it is the most import-"

"Mirajane, are you making my food or are you talking to your stupid sister?"

"Hey," Lisanna complained as Laxus came into the room, kind enough to have at least slipped on some pants for once.

"Behave," Mira giggled. "And I can do both."

Grunt. He went to kiss his girlfriend's head before taking a seat at the table. Lisanna only rolled her eyes at them.

"Laxus here told me that Elfman's training with Bickslow," Mirajane said as Lisanna was about to just give up on finding something quick to eat and go out and buy something. That caught her interest though.

Glancing at her sister's boyfriend, she said, "Yeah. He tell you why?"

"Just that, you know, Elf and him get along real good. Which is great. Now I just need to get Laxus and him to get along well enough to hangout together."

"Ha ha," Laxus grumbled as Lisanna gave him a look. "Hell no."

"Behave."

Coming closer to Laxus then, Lisanna reached out to pick up an apple from the table while whispering to him, "Not gonna tell her about kicking us out then?"

He only curled his lips into a snarl and gave her a hard look. Rolling her eyes, Lisanna took an orange before taking a few steps back.

"I'll be down at the guild to cover for you, Mirajane," she told her sister. "Alright?"

"Great. I owe you one." Then she paused. "Or, oh, you know what? When you get home tonight, I'll have something good to eat made for you. Then-"

"I think I'm staying over at Bickslow's."

"Again?" She frowned, glancing over at her then. "Lisanna, you have to come home sometimes."

"I am home. Right now."

"I only mean, Lisanna, that men are very finicky," Mira said. "They-"

"There ain't a man around that knows what the hell finicky means," Laxus grumbled.

"That doesn't mean you're not it," she told him. "Anyhow, Lisanna, he might want you over there every day right now, but in the blink of an eye, he'll be feeling smothered and not want you around."

"I really don't think-"

"I feel smothered now," Laxus grumbled. "By you. Constantly. But you don't leave me alone."

"We're different, Laxus. Remember?"

"No, I don't remember. Refresher, huh?"

"I love smothering you," she told him. "And you secretly love being smothered. So shut up and let me talk to my sister."

He only grunted though she was coming over to the table then, to slide a plate of whatever she'd made in front of him. That was good enough to keep him quiet.

For the moment, anyhow.

"I'm not trying to keep you from him, Lisanna," Mira said as she went to get Laxus a beer as well. "I'm just being helpful, that's all. I mean, you don't want to freak him out, do you? Make him think that you're, like, clingy?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then you need to spend some days away from one another." She went to fix herself a plate then. "And I mean, don't forget about your friends either. You never just hangout with Natsu and Lucy anymore."

"Thanks to the high heavens," Laxus grumbled to which he only got flicked in the head by Mira when she came to sit at the table as well.

"I just don't want you to ruin something before it's began," Mira said as Lisanna only stared at her. "Besides, if you guys broke up, Laxus would have to kick him off the Thunder God Tribe."

"Laxus would have to do what now?" The man frowned at his girlfriend. "I don't think you get, Mira, that they're just my bodyguards. That's Freed's merry little band of nitwits. Not mine."

"Oh, please," Mira said. "Freed would bend over backwards for you."

"Or forwards," Lisanna mumbled. When Laxus shot her a dirty look, she only giggled.

"I don't get it," Mira said, glancing between them. "Why's that funny?"

"It's not," Laxus grumbled, stabbing at his food. "You can go now, Lisanna."

"I-"

Just then, the backdoor opened and Elfman came in, drenched in sweat and shirtless. Upon seeing Lisanna, he tried to hug her, but she only complained about how nasty he was at the moment, shoving him away.

"Hi, Elfman," Mira greeted, giggling as he came to throw his sweaty arms around her as well. "Where have you been? Training this whole time?"

"Yep! Me and Bickslow!"

"You stink," Laxus grumbled, reaching out to pick up his beer before taking a sip. Then he said, "So get lost. I'm trying to eat here."

Elfman seemed to remember something then and, as he took a step back from the table, took to glaring at Laxus.

"Hey, and you know what? You're no longer allowed to kick me out of the house anymore. This is my house too! I-"

"What are you talking about?" Mirajane frowned at her brother before glancing at Laxus who was suddenly less concerned with the stench radiating from Elfman and more with staring down at his plate. "Laxus, what is he-"

"Don't know, don't care."

"Laxus-"

"He told Lisanna and I both that we weren't allowed to come home because you were…because..."

"Because what?" Mira was still glaring at her boyfriend. "Hmmm?"

"I don't know what he's talking about."

"Laxus Dreyar-"

"Stop saying my name like that. I don't like it."

"You-"

Lisanna was heading out the backdoor then wanting to get far away from all of them. It was the conversation she had been avoiding since the beginning, after all. Still though, that meant that Mira would let Elfman back into the house and she wouldn't have to worry about getting things between he and Evergreen. That was a major relief.

Since Mira had sprung it on her that she would be the one to be doing the nightshift later, Lisanna figured she'd better-

"Hey, Lisanna, wait!"

Turning as she got to the back gate, she saw her brother rushing out of the house. Even with the door only being open for a few moments as he came out of it, she heard Laxus and Mirajane arguing. Oh boy. There went their happy day.

"What's up?" she asked as he came rushing over. "And really, Elf, you do stink a little."

"Sorry," he said as she only grinned at him. "I just wanted to be sure, you know, that you alright. About tonight."

"Tonight?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Oh." He laughed slightly. She only stared though. "I thought Bickslow would have told you, but of course not, 'cause he was with me all morning!"

"Elfman," she said slowly, just watching him. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, see, we went out for food before and after we trained. He's real serious about eating, you know."

"I know."

"And so we had some time to talk. And- Oh, before I say anything else, I want you to know that I now formally sign off on your relationship." He seemed really excited then as he reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "Your boyfriend's a real man, Lisanna! Perfect for you."

"I really wasn't waiting for you to-"

"So anyhow, after we finished talking about his relationship with you-"

"You what?"

"-we started talking about how Ever kicked me out. About how Evergreen always kicks me out! And how it wasn't fair! 'cause I'mma man!"

"Elfman-"

"So, we both came to the conclusion that Evergreen and I are officially over. Because she doesn't deserve me! I'm a real prize."

"You do realize that Bickslow's a big idiot and you should never go to him for advice on, like, anything, right? He-"

"You're the one dating him," her older brother pointed out.

"Yeah, but-"

"And besides, me and Bickslow? We get each other. We're real men."

"I really-"

"Evergreen wants to throw me out? No way!"

"You guys always fight though and-"

"And? That's all the more reason to go out tonight."

"Go out?" She remembered then, what started the conversation originally. "What exactly are you and Bickslow planning on-"

"He's taking me out! To pick up women."

"He's what?"

He nodded. "We're close now, Lisanna. So I'm sorry to take your boyfriend from you like this, but me and him? We're gonna need some alone time to hangout. Like last night. When you weren't a man enough to play cards-"

"Elfman, you are very close to making me-"

"Love you, little sis." He patted her on the head. "Now I'm going to go nap before getting ready to go out. See you later."

He was heading back into the house then, the battle ground between the demon and the dragon, and there was no way that Lisanna was setting a foot in there. So instead, she headed out the back gate with a new destination in mind.

The door was locked for once, when she got to his place. After knocking only once, it popped open.

"Babies! Lissy's back." He only turned to walk away then, letting her in. "We gotta get you a key, kid."

Ignoring that, she only closed the door behind her, allowing his dolls to pelt her for a moment with their bodies before telling them to knock it off. Pappa only came to rest on her head as they others went back to flying around aimlessly.

"We need to talk."

"That's great, kid, and I really want to, but I was getting into the shower before you-"

"Why does my brother think that the two of you are going to pick up women?"

He was over at the bathroom door then, already stripped down to only a pair of pants, and glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Huh?"

"Bickslow-"

"Lissy, me and your brother have bonded. Over our hatred of how mean Evergreen is. Can I help it if-"

"Just last night, you were excited about getting them back together," she said. "Any of that ring a bell?"

"That was before the bonding."

"You guys have not bonded, so come off it."

"Look," he said, continuing on into the bathroom then. "I was going to go out with Freed anyhow, tonight. So when Elfman started whining about him and Ever fighting, I thought that it would be good for him to-"

"To make her more upset by going out to pick up other women?"

"To get over her because she's no good for him."

"Right. And you know this how?"

"Because, Lisanna, me and your brother? We had a heart to heart out there. Err, human heart to beast heart."

"Bickslow-"

"Why can't you ever just do something fun, huh?" He turned to look at her then as she came to stand in the doorway of the bathroom. His babies were hanging back, even Pappa jumping off her head, as they read the tones they were taking with one another as unsafe. "Screwing up Ever's life is, like, one of the rare things that's fun to me. Teasing her, bothering her-"

"Making Elfman cheat on her," Lisanna finished.

"Well…it would be interesting-"

"You do realize, Bickslow, that this is my brother? Right? Who I care about a lot?"

"And he'll be fine…unless Evergreen kills him or something." Bickslow made a face then. "That would be bad."

"Bick-"

"You wanna shower?" He was already over the whole thing and finished undressing then without a single care. "You look clean. Too clean. Come let me dirty you up some, huh? And then clean you up right."

She only rolled her eyes before heading out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

"Why does he always have to be such an idiot?" Lisanna grumbled. The babies only all came to land on her, either her head or shoulders. "Huh?"

"Papa," they all told her. "Papa."

"Yeah, I know, he's your papa, but still. He's so freaking aggravating. Constantly."

Going to take a seat on the couch, she found that the babies didn't care if she was insulting Bickslow or not; they wanted their fair share of attention just the same. Pippi kept zooming around, wanting her to chase him, while Poppo had taken to once again meowing. Then Peppe seemed to be resting, or dormant, in her lap which annoyed Pappa for some reason, who wanted to be the only one in her lap. And Puppu was just happy to have her around, continually repeating her name at a fast rate, nearly driving her mad.

Mad. She had to be to even consider being with the seith. His children alone were hard enough, but he was downright-

"Alright, Lissy! What do you wanna do now that I'm all clean and whatnot? I'm thinking eat tons of cookies and candy, but then again, I have a feeling you'll only nag me for that."

Loud. He was downright loud. At the moment at least.

"I want you to get them to leave me alone for a minute. Or at least be quiet. They won't stop-"

"Babies, are you bothering Lisanna?" He came over then in only a pair of jeans. What was it with him and Laxus anyhow? "Huh?"

"No, Papa." They all rushed to him except for Pappa, who only seemed smug in the fact that he finally had her all to himself. Lisanna only sighed before taking the moment to stretch out on her side on the couch, keeping Pappa laying on part of it, right next to her stomach. "No."

"You better not be," he grumbled before glancing at his girlfriend. "So what do ya say? Yes cookies or-"

"I have to work for Mirajane tonight. At the bar. So her and Laxus can…well, make up now, I guess, but-"

"Cool. So you'll have something to do while I'm out." He was turning then, heading to the kitchen. "You gonna be here when I get back or-"

"I think I'm just gonna go home."

"How come?"

"Because, Bickslow," she sighed as the other dolls came back over to her once more, though they only found spots all around the couch, staying far away from Pappa. That was good, as it kept him from whining. "I never go home anymore. I just stay over here and-"

"And? Me and the babies like you here."

"Yeah, but-"

"We get lonely all alone. Don't we, babies?"

And even all the way from the kitchen, they still knew to repeat him.

"Lonely all alone," they mimicked. "Lonely."

"But if we, like, spend a lot of time together, we'll…"

"We'll what? Be super good best friends and like totally complete each others sentences?"

"No," she said slowly, blinking slightly. She heard him then, in the little kitchen, digging through a thing of cookies. "And why would you ever want that? When the babies already repeat your words? Me finishing your sentences would do no-"

"Good! Ha! We're doing it already-"

"-one any good at all."

"…But I was close! One step closer than I was yesterday."

"Bickslow-"

"You're so awesome and amazing! Ha! Got that one too, huh?"

She only shut her eyes then. "What I was saying though was that Mira told me that, you know, I spend the night over here too much."

"And? Am I dating Mirajane?"

"Bick-"

"You don't gotta stay over if you don't wanna." He was coming back into the room then, mouth covered in crumbs. "But I want you to. Whenever. No matter what Mira says. 'cause I'm not Laxus. So what the hell would she know about me?"

"She says that most guys-"

"And most girls don't like to date a guy with five kids, but here we are."

Lisanna only took to stroking the smooth top of Pappa's head. "I just don't wanna seem…clingy or something. Because I don't mean to be. I only-"

"It's cool. Cling to me. It boosts my ego."

With that, he headed off to the bedroom then. Lisanna only sighed though as some of the babies moved to follow. Not Pappa though, of course.

"I'm starting to think me and you are the only sane ones in this apartment," she told him softly. The doll only shook slightly before speaking.

"Naked Lisanna."

With a sigh, she admitted defeat. "Maybe not."

* * *

Lisanna didn't know how she lucked out, getting to watch the bar on such a quiet night and all. It just seemed to be good timing. Of course, Laxus, Mirajane, Elfman, Bickslow, and Freed were all gone. Then most of the teams seemed to be out on jobs. There just wasn't much going on.

"One of us could go home," Kinana said randomly as she and Lisanna more or less just sat around, listening to Master snore as he fell asleep atop the bar and Macao and Wakaba's usual banter. "If you wanna."

'"You can," Lisanna sighed as she only leaned against the bar, trying to put the thoughts of what exactly Elf and Bickslow were doing out. Why she wasn't invited. Those sorts of things. "If you want. I don't have anything to do anyhow. Laxus and Mira don't want me at home and Bickslow's out."

"You could go meet up with him."

"I don't think I'm supposed to."

She giggled then making Lisanna smile as well. Then, pushing away from the bar, she said, "I'm gonna go get some air, huh?"

"Oh, sure. Take your break, if you want. I got everything in here."

Heading out then, Lisanna didn't stray far. She just went to stand outside for awhile, walking slowly around the grounds, as if inspecting it.

Things were even more dead out there. Not that it was a bad thing. It gave her a chance to be alone, at least. Think.

Not that she has much to think about.

For once in her life, things were actually looking pretty up. She had a boyfriend who she didn't just like, but also was devoted equally as much to her, her older sister had, as always, a tumultuous relationship, but a loving one, and Elf… Well, no, Elf's life pretty much sucked at the moment, but even still, hers was pretty great. No major drama hanging herself up on. At all. Things were finally calm.

On her end.

As Lisanna was standing out there though, walking around the empty grounds, she ran into Evergreen, who was headed into the guildhall.

"Ever," she said, trying to keep the shock out of her voice. "Hey."

She only adjusted her glasses, planning on passing the other woman, but then stopping suddenly. Glancing at her, she said, "Is your brother inside?"

"My brother?"

"Mmmhmm." She was facing Lisanna then as they stood out in front of the hall, the light from inside escaping through the windows and giving them some to spare. "We…well, we fought last night and-"

"I know."

"You know?"

"He came to stay with me and Bickslow last night at his apart-"

"Why would he-"

"Laxus has decided that the house belongs to him and we should stay away from it."

Ever blinked. Then she shrugged.

"So is he inside then? I'll just go tell him he can come back with me and you won't have to worry about him being over at-"

"N-Not exactly," Lisanna said slowly, unsure of what she should say. There was no way she was about to tell Ever that her (sorta) boyfriend was out picking up other women. Even if it hadn't been her brother, she wouldn't have done that. But it being Elf made it so much more important that she come up with an excuse. And fast.

"Then where is he?"

"Um-"

"Lisanna, where is Elfman?"

"He's…out."

"Out where?"

"Well-"

"Oh my gosh, is he buying me something?"

"N-"

"Okay, okay, don't tell me." Ever seemed really excited then and Lisanna only gave her a really twisted grin back, unsure what else to do. How do you say no, your boyfriend isn't getting you a gift, but rather screwing another woman without coming off as a major bitch?

No way? That's what Lisanna figured.

Then, before she could think of anything, Ever was rushing off again, back for her home, telling Lisanna to send Elfman back to her place if she saw him. She'd be waiting.

"Can things just never be right for me? Just once?" Lisanna grumbled, heading back into the guildhall. She needed Mirajane to tell her how to handle the situation. She needed Mirajane to tell her how to handle every situation, really.

That night, she really did plan on heading home to sleep there. But somehow, without thinking about it, when she left the guildhall, she headed right to Bickslow's place. Subconscious or just absentmindedness, she didn't know.

The door was unlocked, as he had left it when they left the apartment that day, so she just went right in, no qualms about it. And then she grabbed her novel from where it was still sitting on the coffee table from the previous day before taking it with her to the bedroom to read a little.

She was still up, doing that, when Bickslow came in, loud and drunk, his babies just as excited as him. She could hear him from the second he came through the front door.

That wasn't all she heard either.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she came out of the bedroom to find her sobbing brother. "Elf?"

"I cheated on Evergreen!"

She only blinked as Bickslow came over to drunkenly hang off her. She only focused on her brother though.

"Really?"

"Y-"

"No," her boyfriend slurred as he literally licked her cheek. She about shoved him off, but he was so off balance then that she might have actually made him topple over. "He was talking to this other woman an' he starts cryin'. Cryin'! In a bar. Ruining my rep."

"What rep?"

Her cheek got another lick. Then he only laughed before pushing away from her and heading into the bedroom, calling his babies to follow.

"To the bed!" he yelled loudly as they all went to bang against Lisanna before following after. "Come on, babies!"

Lisanna only went over to her blubbering brother, taking him by the hand and pulling him further into the apartment.

"Elfman," she sighed. "You can talk to other wom-"

"I had indecent thoughts!"

"Ew." She dropped his arm, making a face. He only went to take a seat on the couch, hiding his face in his hands.

"I love Evergreen," he cried. "Your boyfriend's stupid and I hate him. He's not a man! A man doesn't toss away a relationship like the one I have with Ever! He was only trying to ruin it for us. Well no more! I love Ever and only Ever."

"That's great, Elf," she sighed, staring at him. "And if you find somewhere open, I might just be able to get you back with her tonight."

"Even after I cheated on-"

"You didn't cheat on her, Elf. And don't go telling her that you did." Lisanna only stood in front of him her hands going to her hips. "You're going to go and get her a gift."

"Gift?"

"Candy, flowers, something she likes. Then you're going to make up some sort of bull about Mirajane needing you and that's why you're so late."

"Late?"

"She thought you were coming this whole time. She's back at her apartment, waiting for y-"

"What?" Then his tears were gone as he literally sprang up, clenching his fists. "Ever's waiting for me! A real man never leaves his woman waiting."

"Elf, maybe-"

"I gotta go, Lisanna." He ruffled her hair before heading off. "To go save my relationship."

"But-"

"And you're no longer allowed to see Bickslow. I've just decided. Bye!"

With that, he was gone. Rolling her eyes, she only went to lock the door behind him. No matter what, she didn't plan on letting him back in.

"Bickslow?" she called out softly as she came back into the bedroom. He'd turned out the light and tossed her book onto the side table so that he could stretch out in the middle of the bed, his babies lounging around him, some on his chest, the others on the mattress. "Are you sleeping?"

He was after only a few minutes of being alone. He'd probably been about to pass out when he showed up anyhow.

"You're still dressed, dummy." She moved to get into bed with him, reaching out to first unbutton his jeans before tugging them down.

"Mmmm," he moaned softly. "Suck me off."

She blushed so deeply at that that for a moment, she could only sit there, staring down at him. Then he belched, laughed, and kicked his jeans off the rest of the way before rolling onto his stomach, making the babies on his chest fall off.

"Fine, stupid," she grumbled then. "Sleep in your shirt."

The heat was still evident by the redness in her cheeks as she moved the babies around some so she could find her own spot on the bed. She knew she should have just gone home to sleep.

"Lisanna." Pappa came to rest close to her. "Lisanna.

She only gently stroked his wooden top before closing her eyes. Maybe she just needed to sleep the whole day off. Seemed like a good idea.

"Lissy?"

She only made a soft noise at her name as Bickslow let out a slow groan.

"Drank too much."

"I know, Bickslow."

"Never again," he insisted.

Something though told her that that was a lie. Still, she only shifted closer when he rolled onto his back once more so that she could rub his tummy. Even drunk, he was still her knight.

"You know, you could have completely ruined Elfman's relationship tonight, trying to be funny."

"Mmmm."

"That's not cool, Bickslow. He really loves Ever and you got his head all mixed up today."

"Only us."

"Huh?"

Yawning, he said, "I only care 'bout me and you. And the babies. Only relationship that matters."

"You know that if you screwed Ever's relationship and you saw her upset, you'd care. She's one of your only friends. She-"

"Do better," he mumbled. "Than Elfman."

"That's my brother you know."

"…Drunk. Sleepin'. Shhh."

"You're so stupid," she mumbled, though she only shut her eyes. He was her stupid knight. Her stupid, amazing, funny, creative knight. "Bickslow."

 


	14. Chapter 14

  


"Say thank you."

"Thank you," all of Bickslow's dolls mimicked as they floated around Lisanna's head. She only giggled though.

"What are they thanking me for?" she asked their master. "I didn't get them anything. You should be the one thanking me, Bickslow."

"Oh, I'm thanking you," he said as he grinned down at the pan currently sitting on his counter. Wrapping an arm around her, he snuggled her as he took to grinning. "Of course I'm thanking you. You baked me a freaking cake!"

"Mmmhmm."

"How'd you know I liked chocolate?" he asked as he went to grab a knife so he could cut a piece. He'd been out training and come home planning on taking a shower, but instead found that Lisanna had decided to make him something instead. Which was great. And awesome. Because she was great. And awesome. And his. So…

"I didn't. I just guessed." She giggled as he got a plate as well. "It's your favorite then?"

"Every flavor's my favorite, Lissy," he assured her. "Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla-"

"But if they're all your favorites, then aren't they all equal?"

"Equally my favorite," he said as he, no joke, began to cut one fourth of the cake as his piece.

"That makes them all normal. Like, if they're all equal, then none of them are special, therefore-"

"Hey, Lissy, me and the babies are real simple people, huh?" He went to grab a fork then, plate in one hand with his huge slice of the cake. "Don't try to overly complicate things."

"I'm not," she said. "I was only-"

"Gah!" Bickslow spit the piece of cake he'd been shoveling into his mouth right back out. "What is that, Lisanna?"

"Lisanna?" the babies asked as they changed from buzzing around her and onto their father. "What is that?"

"It's sugar free," she told him as he went to drop the plate on the counter before rushing to get himself a glass of water. "I thought that-"

"Well you thought wrong!"

"Bickslow, just give it a-"

"No! Yuck."

"Yuck," all the babies mimicked though Pappa did come over to Lisanna and land in her waiting hand. He might feel for Papa about having to eat Lisanna's yucky cake, but hey. She was still just that; Lisanna.

"I was trying to be helpful."

"Then knock it off."

'Bickslow, all you eat is-"

"I can eat whatever I want." He had his head down then, right next to the sink, for some reason forgoing a glass and just drinking straight from the faucet, having to angle his head to do so. The sight made Lisanna roll her eyes. And they all said that she was the immature one of the relationship.

"It cannot be that bad," she complained, going over to his discarded plate then. Picking up the fork with the hand that didn't have Pappa in it, she stabbed at the cake. "I mean seriously."

Then she took a bite…and spit it right back out.

"You're right," she complained as she rushed over to the sink as well. "It really is awful."

Bickslow scooted over some, holding her hair back for her as she took just bowed her head and drank straight from the faucet. They were nothing if not compatible.

"Told you," he complained as his tongue fell from his mouth once more. "This was a horrible idea, Lissy."

She only swished some of the water around in her mouth before spitting it into the sink. "Bleh. I agree. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he said. "Just don't do it again. Alright?"

"Well, maybe I just made it wrong. I mean, if someone like Mirajane made it-"

"Lisanna, I don't think anyone could make that thing taste good."

She only sighed as she took a step back, turning the sink off while she was at it.

"Well, what are we going to do with it?"

"I dunno." He was over at the fridge then, looking for something to actually eat. Finding nothing, he said, "Give it to Laxus or your brother. Either that or throw it away. Even I'm not going to touch that thing again."

She huffed slightly. "I just wanted to make you something. Since you're going on a job tomorrow."

He only pressed a kiss to her head before turning to walk away. "You wanna do something for me?"

"Well, yeah."

"Come take a shower with me."

"Bickslow," she groaned though she did find herself following him out of the room. That didn't mean much though, as the babies were coming with them. "Do you always have to be that way?"

"What way? If you mean do I always have to be me, then yes, Lissy, I do."

Rolling her eyes, she went into the bedroom with him. "So now that I screwed up your cake-"

"You didn't just screw it up," he said as he began pulling stuff out of the closet. "You made it inedible. Like, the only thing cake is good for is eating it. Then you ruined it. Do you know-"

"Stop it! You're not making me feel any better."

He only glanced back at her then, in his cramped little room, to find her sitting on the edge of his bed, pouting by the looks of it. His babies were taking to comforting her by landing on her head and shoulders. Pappa was in her lap though and didn't look like he was letting any of the other babies close to him.

"I just," she went on with a sigh. "I wanted to make you something, that's all. And I thought, you know, since you're so into sweets and stuff that dessert would be better than dinner."

"It would have been," he told her. "Until you chickened out and made me that nasty…thing. It's not even good enough to be called cake, it was so bad."

"Bickslow-"

"I mean, seriously. Never make that decision again. You-"

"If you're only going to be mean to me, then-"

"You didn't have to make us nothing anyhow," he told her as he finally got what he wanted out of the closet. Lisanna frowned when she saw it to be a dark blue button up shirt.

"How come?" she asked softly, watching him as he pulled out a pair of his best looking jeans as well.

"We're going out to dinner, kid."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm. I even had to make reservations, this place is so nice."

She only stared. "And this isn't some sort of joke? You're not gonna-"

"Sometimes, Lissy," he began as he went to grab a clean undershirt from his dresser. "The knight has to take the princess out on real dates. Else she'll start looking elsewhere for entertainment, I've found. Slumming it might be fun for awhile, but there ain't no girl I know that don't like to treated well sometimes."

She only watched as he walked out of the room then, off to go take his shower. Calling out to him, she said, "I have to go home now then. To get ready too."

"It's whatever," he said simply. "I'll come by your place to pick you up then in, oh, two hours, huh?"

Then the bathroom door shut and it was just her and the babies.

"I have to go," she told them as she stood, careful to not let any of them fall. "Alright?"

"Lisanna?" they all whined though it was Pappa that sounded the most distressed. "Go?"

"I'll see you tonight, I'm sure," she told them, giving each a pat as they were flying so low and close to her. "Promise. I'll even spend the night, I bet."

That sent them into a frenzy for some reason which only made her giggle. Figuring it was best to leave them then, while they were in such good moods, she made her exit quickly.

At home, she was pleased to find no one home. Not even Laxus. Though that wasn't shocking, as just the day before, he and Mira had gotten into it. He'd probably retreated back to his place.

Hopefully.

It was after she had showered though and was busy getting dressed that she heard someone come through the front door. And not a moment later, they were knocking on the bathroom door.

"Is it you, Lisanna? Or Elfman?"

She only reached over to open the door then, revealing herself to her sister.

"Just me," she said as Mira smiled at her. "Elf isn't home. You know that he and Ever have been all over one another the past few days. You know, making up or whatever."

Mira only took to leaning up against the doorjamb, watching as her sister finished getting ready.

"You going somewhere special?" she asked. "You look-"

"Bickslow's taking me out to dinner tonight and-"

"Ooh." She giggled a little bit. "Where to?"

'I don't know. He didn't say."

"It's not just something cheap is it?"

"I don't think so," she said as Mirajane came closer. "He was showering and planning on putting on a dress shirt and-"

"Then let me do your makeup."

"What? Mira, no," she complained as she made a face over at her sister. "You know that I don't like-"

"You don't have to like it, Lisanna. But if Bickslow might then-"

"Mira-"

"How long do you have then? Until your date?"

"Mmmm, he said he'd be by in two hours when I left and that was only, like, thirty minutes ago, so-"

"Then let me do your makeup and-"

"Mira-"

"-if you don't like it, then we'll have time to take it off," she said, smiling down at her younger sister. "Promise."

"Fine," Lisanna gave in as Mirajane bounced with joy.

"Great. Just one thing though."

"What?"

"Do you really have to wear that?" She pointed to the pendant around her neck. "I mean it doesn't go with your outfit at all. I think you should-"

"And Laxus doesn't go with your personality, yet here we are."

Mira only cocked her head to the side then, staring at Lisanna for a moment. Then she only giggled again.

"You know," she said slowly. "Your boyfriend isn't that great either. And for future reference, not only can I beat you in a fight any day, but he and I could take both you and Bickslow without breaking a sweat. So I'd watching who you mouth off to, huh?"

Lisanna didn't know whether or not to laugh along with her sister then or not. Was that a joke or…or what?

Anyhow, Mira and Lisanna were very busy with her makeup when someone else arrived. They knew who it was immediately.

"Mirajane!"

Mainly because he chose to announce his entrance with that loud scream.

"I'm busy, Laxus," she volleyed back. "And honestly, you should knock. You don't live-"

"Where are you?" he growled as he headed through the house. They'd moved to her bedroom at that point though, as Mira applied Lisanna's makeup, so he had no problem with busting open the door to glare in at them. "Mirajane-"

"I'm busy, Laxus."

"Doing what?"

"What does it look like?"

He only took to narrowing his eyes at Lisanna then. "The hell? Can't you put on your own damn makeup?"

"Can't you?" she retorted. "Please. Save the rest of us from looking at that ugly scar."

"You-"

"Behave," Mira sighed. "Both of you. Now go wait in the living room for me, Laxus. I'll be there soon."

"I-"

"Go."

He only snarled one more time at Lisanna (she could see how Mira found him so cute) before heading off, all stomping and everything. It wasn't until he was long gone that Mira and Lisanna both started laughing.

"I can hear you!" they heard him yell from somewhere else in the house. "And laugh all you want! I could kill both of you with one hand!"

That got an even harder laugh. It wasn't until they were finished though and Mira had convinced Lisanna that yes, sometimes makeup is not only preferable, but just necessary, that they went to check on him.

He was in the kitchen, moping at the table with his head resting against it. When Mirajane came up behind him to lay a hand on his shoulder, he only jerked away from her.

"Oh, Lax-"

"No. You were making fun of me. Screw you. Both of you."

Mira only patted him once on the head as Lisanna went to sit at the table as well. When he glanced at her, she only made a face back at him.

"What's your problem anyways?" she asked after sticking her tongue out only made her feel, well, childish for a moment, but then too much like Bickslow the next. "Laxus?"

"You two idiots were-"

"Not about us teasing you," she said as he only shut his eyes. "In general."

"What business is it of yours?" he grumbled. "And why are you trying to look nice?"

"What business is it-"

"Lisanna-"

"And what are you trying to say then anyhow, Laxus?" she went on. "Don't I always look nice?"

Grunt.

"She's going out with Bickslow," Mira said from over at the fridge where she was no doubt picking out what she would be making for the two of them that night.

"You gotta put on makeup to go get a burger now?" Snort.

"Mira puts on makeup to go to the store, so I don't see what difference it makes," Lisanna said with a frown.

"It's true," Mira said with a nod of her head. "I do."

That one got a groan out of the slayer.

"You two are killing me," he grumbled. "Seriously."

"Then why did you come here? Huh?" Lisanna was tired of his attitude for once. They went through phases, the two of them did. All the emotions both of them had, it was hard for them to mesh correctly every single time they encountered one another. And at the moment, she wasn't letting him get away with his sour one.

"Because I'm horny and my girlfriend lives here. So scram. Brat."

"Laxus!" That time Mira's voice hit a lower octave than it did when she was just going to scold him on behaving. He had embarrassed her, apparently. Turning to glare over at the table, she said, "If you're going to act this way today, why don't you just go ahead and go back home? I'm not in the mood. I got off early today so that I could rest. Not put up with you and your mood swings."

"My mood swings? What about-"

"One more chance, Laxus. And then I won't just ask you to leave. I'll kick you out."

He shoved up from the table then before stomping off. It wasn't as funny that time. Mira listened and, when she didn't hear the front door slam, sighed. He was staying.

"What's up with him?" Lisanna asked her sister who only went back to fixing supper. "Mirajane?"

"We've been…fighting recently. A lot. That's all."

"Yeah, but you always do that," she said. "So how come-"

"I think," she began, but then she stopped.

"What?"

Taking a breath, Mira said, "Sometimes things don't work out, Lisanna."

"Mirajane-"

"You know that. And Laxus is just… I guess I just wanted more out of this. And he doesn't."

"What are you saying?"

She shrugged then, just standing in front of the counter as she stared down at the things she'd gathered from the fridge.

"I thought that we were headed to something more than this. It's been nearly two years now and what do I have for it? Nothing. And whenever I bring up getting married, he gets angry. Accuses me of just trying to force him into…" She let out a long breath before shaking her head. "If we're not going the same places, that's fine. I love Laxus, but I'm looking for a future. Not the same stupid games like what he just pulled when he was in the kitchen a minute ago."

Lisanna only stared at Mirajane for a long time, watching as she started dinner. She wanted to say something to her, but she didn't know what. It would sound hollow to tell her that Laxus loved her. Because maybe he did, but that didn't always mean much. And she couldn't tell her that it would all be okay, because what if it wasn't?

Instead, she only got up and left quietly, letting Mira deal with it alone. She'd only be a hamper to her anyhow.

* * *

Bickslow felt pretty dang dapper, walking down the road with his Mohawk done just right and his shirt actually ironed and his jeans having no stains whatsoever. Was that what business men felt like? He bet so.

By the time he got to the Strauss house, he was so pleased with himself that he'd even begun to whistle. Coming up to the door, he only knocked before going back to making sure his hair was straight by running his hands up it before breathing softly into his palm. Breath checked out just fine.

"What do you want?" the person opening the grumbled before he saw them. He knew immediately who it was though, even before Laxus' scowling face appeared.

"Evenin', boss," he greeted, grinning widely at him. And with his helmet off, it looked even bigger. "I'm here to get Lissy."

Laxus blinked. Then he narrowed his eyes at Bickslow. "We have a job in the morning."

"I know. I'll be there." Then he stuck his tongue out. "With bells on, if you want."

"I don't," he grumbled before taking a step back and letting the seith in. "Lisanna!" he yelled right after. "Your boyfriend's here."

"I can hear you, Laxus," she complained as she came out of the back hallway. "No need to yell."

He only shut the door before turning to walk away, over to the couch which he immediately collapsed onto. He was depressed, it seemed. Or, Lisanna thought, maybe he was soaking up the house one last time. Because the way Mira was talking, the end was nigh.

"Bye, Laxus," she called softly as Bickslow came to wrap his arms around her. She'd been upset with him earlier, but if the way Mira was talking was any indication, her own relationship with him was going to come crashing down just the same as the one he had with Mirajane. Because there's no way it could stay. Not if they broke up. It gave her a sick feeling in her stomach to think about. "See you later."

He didn't even grunt.

"Bye, boss." Bickslow pressed a kiss to Lisanna's cheek then, never rightly reading when the mood in the room had changed. "See you tomorrow."

It wasn't until they were out the door, Bickslow's arm dropping from her shoulders and his hand finding hers instead, that Lisanna noticed something.

"Wait," she said, coming to a stop right there on the sidewalk. Bickslow only glanced down at her, waiting for an explanation. "Where are the babies?"

"Hmmm?" Then he grinned. "Oh, them."

"Yeah, Bickslow. Them. Where-"

"Freed's babysittin' tonight," he said simply.

"What?" She'd never seen him without them, honestly, and was still in a state of shock.

"Of course. I'm takin' you out tonight, Lissy." He tugged her along. "And just you. So make the most of it, huh?"

And she tried hard not to blush then, though her pale flesh betrayed her per usual. Not that Bickslow seemed to mind. There was one thing he said though, not soon after that.

"Just remember," he added after a moment. "I'm doing all this even after you tried to poison me with that cake earlier."

"Shut up, Bickslow," she grumbled as he took to snickering. "Jerk."

"Calm down," he said, squeezing her hand slightly. "We're going to have a great time tonight. Promise."

And they did. They had a grand time. The restaurant was nice and Bickslow ordered wine which he immediately hated.

"Why did you order it if you hate it?"

"I dunno," he said. "It's what I see Laxus do whenever he and Mira are out. Or anyone and their woman. So I thought it'd taste better, you know? If I ordered something fancy? But it doesn't. I hate it."

He couldn't have hated it that much though because the two of them got more than a little tipsy. Not to mention spent way more than he was intending. But when they left, they were both giggling and practically falling over, having to hold into one another just to keep upright.

"We should go out," he told her once they were on the street. "To get more to drink."

"You think so?"

He tapped her nose. "Of course! To a bar!"

Considering Lisanna wasn't someone drank much, she reached her limit far before Bickslow. Not that it stopped her from downing some more shots at his insistence. And oh, her throat burned and her mind was jumbled, but what could she do? She had to keep pace with her boyfriend.

She always wanted to be able to keep up with Bickslow.

Needless to say, both of them were beyond intoxicated by the time they got back to his apartment. And it was so good that Freed was 'babysitting' over there instead of his own place, because they'd have never managed to make it there as well.

He was scolding them, Lisanna remember that, Freed was, about how late it was and that they had a job in the morning. She only fell into the couch with a loud groan as Bickslow took to reassuring Freed in his loud, drunk excitement that he'd be at the guildhall right on time the next morning.

"You better," Freed said. "Because if you're not, it's not me you have to worry about. Laxus is accompanying us this time. He'll tear you apart."

"Aye-aye, chief!" He even saluted him as the babies floating around Lisanna in a worried manner. Then, after Freed was gone, Bickslow dropped his arm before groaning. "Lisanna?"

"Mmmm?"

"We're dead, aren't we?"

"Mmmm."

He only groaned before heading over to her. "Gonna go to bed?"

"Mmmm."

"You're gonna be so hungover in the morning." He only patted her on the head as the babies still chanted her name, as if to revive her. No avail. She was down for the count. She thought that Bickslow was ditching her when he stumbled off to the bedroom, but he quickly returned with a pillow and blanket. He tossed the latter over her before collapsing on the ground with the former.

"Night, Lissy," he mumbled as he too succumbed. "Love you."

And she was too drunk at the time to say anything back to that, to realize the monumental moment that had just occurred where her first boyfriend (drunkenly) admitted his adoration of her. Only mewled a little bit before drifting off.

* * *

The pounding in her head was not equitable to anything she'd ever experienced. It wasn't just pounding or throbbing or even aching. It was indescribable. She felt like she was dying.

…Well, not that exactly. She knew in a very basic way what something like that would feel, but it was pretty dang close.

Whatever was beneath her though was cool. And slick. And she just left her head against it, hoping it would bring her some comfort.

"Sorry, Lissy, but I have to got to get in here. I'm already late."

"Mmmm?"

Opening her eyes at that point was out of the question, but somehow she knew it was Bickslow talking to her and trying to shake her awake. It was no good though. She wasn't going anywhere.

"Lissy, come on," he complained. "I need to shower."

Shower? She forced one eye open then, the bright light of the bathroom shocking her before she shut it once more.

"Why," she got out, but couldn't say anything else. Her mouth was dry.

"Are you in the bathroom?" Bickslow finished for her. "'cause we got to spend the whole night with you puking and me having to be the responsible one, making sure that you didn't, like, dunk your head in the toilet or something. It was one thing when you didn't tell me I was your first, but not telling me you're that low tolerance to alcohol? Low blow, babe."

She only groaned. "I'm sick."

"You're hungover. And I'm dead by the time I get down to the guild. So if you can't get up-"

"I can't."

"-I'll carry you to bed, give you a glass of water, some aspirin, and you can deal with the consequences of this alone, huh?"

Him picking her up only made her stomach lurch once more, but there was nothing in there for it to get rid of at that point. Bickslow only took her to the bedroom though where he laid her down on the bed as gently as he could. He wasn't exactly doing so great himself.

"I'mma go shower," he grumbled as she only rolled over onto her side. "Don't, like, choke on puke or something. I have a feeling that everyone at the guild would somehow say that was my fault."

Her mouth tasted like some weird mixture of vomit and all the different liquors he had introduced her to the night before. Her weary mind drifted to the first night they spent together, where just being tipsy got her in bed with him for the first time. What had she done last nigh then, she wondered, that she'd regret later?

Nothing, apparently, she found out when he came back and she asked. They'd literally spent a small portion of the night sleeping out in the living room and the rest in the bathroom where she cried and told him that she'd never drink again, that Mirajane was right.

Also, she'd revealed to him how scared she was about what would happen between her sister and Laxus and how much she actually loved having him around. That he was practically her second brother and that if they didn't work out, she wasn't so sure what was required anymore, for a relationship to be stable. Mira and Laxus fought, sure, she'd insisted, but who didn't? How could she ever feel safe in her own relationship when she couldn't even trust the one she was basing her owns on?

"I said that?" she moaned as Bickslow only made her down some water and aspirin. He was dressed in his usual getup and was about to take off.

"Mmmhmm."

"What else did I say?"

"Not much," he said simply as he leaned down to press a kiss against her sweaty forehead. "Incoherent things, mostly. You cry a lot though when you're drunk, apparently."

"Mmmm."

"And hey," he added as the babies came in to bid her goodbye. "No matter what happens with your sister and Laxus, he'll still care about you."

"W-What?"

Bickslow only shrugged, heading out of the room. "The man threatened to kill me, Lisanna, because he thought that I was trying to one and done you. You're something to him. For whatever reason, you just are. So don't worry about it anymore, oky?"

Then he was gone, out the door, and calling for the babies to follow him. He really was late.

She must have laid around all day, trying to sleep and ignore the aches of her body. Eventually though, she got enough strength back to walk home. It was getting late though, sometime around five in the afternoon, and she knew when she got to her place, she'd just go right back to bed.

It was on her way over there though, feeling slightly lightheaded and wishing that she'd just stayed at Bickslow's for the night, that something came back to her. It was really muddled and hardly counted as a true memory. It was mostly just a…word. Two words, actually.

Did Bickslow…tell her that he loved her?

The longer and harder she thought about it, the more she remembered it. He had. Bickslow had said that he loved her.

…But did it count? If he was drunk too?

Lucky her, she was about to run into the one person that could answer that for her.

"Mira," Lisanna called out the second she opened the front door to their house. "Guess what? Bickslow- Ew! Mira!"

And there went any leftovers of her previous night from her memory as, instead, it was burned into her eyes the sight of her sister and her boyfriend totally naked while sleeping on the couch, a blanket poorly covering them.

"Huh?" Mira opened her eyes slowly as Laxus only grunted, , shifting slightly. "Lisanna?"

"What are you two doing?" She had a hand over both her eyes then, shielding them from her view. "Gross! Mira, I sit on that couch."

"Lisanna!" Suddenly she animated, completely unconcerned as she jumped up that she was nude. Not that that would have been too bad for Lisanna. It was the fact that she took the blanket with her when she got up, leaving Laxus totally exposed, that made her skew her eyes shut.

"Shit, Mira," Laxus groaned, rolling over then, onto his stomach before reaching out with his hand, trying to find something to cover himself with.

"Laxus and I talked last night," she told her sister excitedly as the blanket hung loosely from her shoulders. "Look!"

Peeking an eye open, Lisanna only stared at the hand Mira was holding out to her. Upon it sat , lo and behold, a diamond.

"He'd gotten this for me before, but chickened out. Not anymore though." Mira's voice was at an octave that shouldn't have been humanly (or demonly) possible. "We're getting married!"

And she didn't know if it was the news, seeing Laxus naked, or just the fact that she was still very, very hungover, but Lisanna only ran off to the bathroom to throw back up the water and few crackers she'd eaten over at Bickslow's.

It had been one hell of a night, but she figured it was all only beginning.

 


	15. Chapter 15

As it turned out, Bickslow didn't get into much trouble for being late that day. Mainly because Laxus wasn't just late. He didn't show up at all. As he put it, after proposing to Mirajane, he deserved at least one day to just be alone with her.

Right. More like they got drunk too (probably why she actually had sex with him on the couch, still gross) and he just forgot. But whatever lie he wanted to use, it was whatever to Lisanna.

And besides, she had a very busy few weeks after that. Mira wanted to have the wedding as soon as possible. Which, of course, made everyone think she was rushing it because she didn't want Laxus to have a chance to back out, but if he heard you discussing that, he'd not only shut you down, but also slap you. Very hard. In the head. Lisanna would know. Her boyfriend got that treatment quite frequently.

"Mirajane and I want to get this over with for our own reason," was all he'd grumble and that was that.

It wasn't until Lisanna was home one day, in the kitchen, that she found out what that reason was. They were coming in and for some reason didn't think she'd be there (okay, so she'd spent the last week in full at Bickslow's, but so what) and were talking about that exact issue.

"-think we should wait, I dunno, probably two weeks after the honeymoon," Mira was saying.

"Would you know by then? If it was really when we found out?"

"Think so."

"Mira," Laxus was sighing as he led her into the house. "Why can't we just tell the truth? You're pregnant. Big deal. We're getting married and now it doesn't matter, huh?"

"I guess, but I just-"

"You're what?"

They both froze then at the sight of Lisanna peacefully trying to eat her toast only to be bombarded with that sort of news.

Of course they immediately went into all the reasons why no one could know. And, after Lisanna questioned her, yes, all that stuff Mira had told Lisanna before about them almost breaking up was true. They were fighting over commitment and their future. Mainly because Laxus didn't want to keep the baby and Mira did. It was that night though, that they got engaged, where she gave him an ultimatum. They got married or they broke up and she did the baby stuff alone.

Yeah, like that was going to happen.

"But Mira," Lisanna had reasoned after the shock wore off. "Everyone knows that Laxus and you have sex. Why wouldn't they?"

"Damn straight," Laxus grunted to which Mirajane rolled her eyes.

"Still," she said. "I want my baby to be…I don't know. It's not about what people think of me. I don't care. It's just about what they say about my baby. Our baby."

"If the demon wants to get married and then tell everybody, I don't care." He patted her on the head. "But you're gonna have a hard time, Mira, convincing everyone at the reception of why you don't wanna drink."

And that was that. Lisanna was brought into their web of lies and they just went on.

…But of course she still told Bickslow.

"A baby, huh?" he'd mumbled. "That's, like, crazy. Boss with a baby. Baby and boss. Huh."

"I know, right? I mean, I think Mirajane will be a good mother."

"The best."

"But Laxus?"

"Hmmm." Then, as they'd been snuggling on the couch, Bickslow only had to tilt his head down a little to look at her. "Hey, Lissy?"

"What?"

"You're, like, totally on something for that, right?" He only stared, as if terrified by the possibilities. "Right?"

"Shut up, Bickslow."

"Are-"

"Yes, stupid."

So there was that conversation.

All that had passed though and finally, finally, it was the day of Mirajane's wedding. Even though it hadn't been that long since they'd announced their engagement, actually only five weeks, it was still felt like an eternity to both the Strauss sisters. Although that might have had more to do with Elfman's incessant crying than anything else.

He cried constantly. About how Mira was going to be giving him the house and moving into a new place with Laxus very soon, staying in his apartment until that time. Or how he seemed fairly certain that Lisanna wouldn't be sticking around much longer either. Or about the fact that he'd asked Ever to move in with him when Mira moved out and she'd told him flat no. Then later, when she told him yes, he cried some more.

It was hopeless. It was all hopeless.

They spent days moving all of Mira's stuff to Laxus' place, only knowing that they'd be moving it into some new house that Laxus was going to be buying for her.

"Massive," he told her once when she and Lisanna were sitting around his apartment, resting after moving most of her stuff over. "This place is going to be a palace. Me, you, the baby, we'll live like kings. Swear."

Mira had only giggled as Lisanna smiled and asked, "Where are you gonna get your riches, King Dreyar?"

He'd only snorted as he stood behind the couch, resting his hands on Mira's shoulders which he was sort of massaging.

"I'm the strongest mage in all of Fiore," he told her simply. "I'm going to take tons of jobs before the kid gets here. Then I'mma buy it all sorts of cool things. He's going to be-"

"What if it's a girl?" Mira asked, tilting her head back to glance at him. He only leaned down to kiss hers.

"Then she's going to have everything that she wants. What difference does it make?" He let go of her to flex then. "I'm gonna make a whole legion of babies. They're gonna grow up to be the strongest team ever."

Mira blinked. "How many are you-"

"A thousand."

"Laxus-"

"Five. We're gonna have five kids. Right in succession. So I can lead them. Like an army."

"Are you drunk?" Mira asked him as Lisanna took to giggling.

"Just a little."

"Oh, Laxus."

"I'm thinking all boys," he said before patting Mira on the shoulder and heading off to his kitchen to get himself another beer. "But one or two girls would be fine. I guess. Just as long as it's not all girls."

"You do know I can't control this. It's all on you, really. Technically," she told him. "So if we have all girls-"

"We can't, Mira."

"Why not?"

"Because," he complained as he came back with a beer, bottle of water, and a soda. Lisanna frowned when she only got a soda. "I-"

"I'm old enough to drink too, you know," Lisanna complained. Laxus only gave Mira the water before popping the tab on his beer and moving to sit down on the couch with them, right in the center. Lisanna only stuck her tongue out at him.

"We can't have all girls," he began again "because then, Mira, who's going to fight?"

"What do you mean?"

"They can't," he told her. "They might…you know, get hurt. And then what? Huh? That's why we need-"

"You are not serious," Mira said as Lisanna resorted to pinching him for his offense. "That is so sexist, Laxus. You do realize-"

"Yes, I do know, Mira, that you're strong. Whatever. But that doesn't mean that they gotta be," he reasoned. "They're gonna learn magic, fine, of course, but I don't see why they'd ever have to get too good at it. Or something. They can just stay home. And be safe. And let the boys go do jobs."

Mira pinched him that time. "Behave."

"I'm trying to protect our imaginary children, okay?" He took another sip of his beer. "And if one of you pinches me again, you're going to get backhanded. Especially you, Lisanna."

She did it again, just to spite him. He only tapped her in the head though before wrapping an arm around Mirajane, who was of course giggling.

Maybe not everything was hopeless.

Again though, days had come to pass since then. And in that current moment, Lisanna was sitting up at the guild, preparing it for the reception that would be held there after the wedding.

"This is so hard," Natsu complained to her as he helped her set up. Err, rather, his girlfriend was helping while he was trying in vain to get them to give him some attention. "You guys are making food and we can't eat it?"

"The wedding is, like, in three hours, Natsu," Lucy sighed as he jumped around. "I'm sure you can wait that long."

"Hardly," he whined.

Bickslow, who was mostly doing nothing as well, checked the time on the clock before going over to Lisanna, who was behind the bar restocking it, to knock her gently in the head with his knuckles.

"You better get down to the church," he said simply. "Or we better, I guess."

"Yeah, you guys are both in the wedding," Lucy reasoned, glancing over at them. "Really, you should go down there. We have everything here."

"You sure?" Lisanna was hesitant, but Lucy only shrugged.

"Very. Besides, everyone else already ditched to go get ready. Go. Natsu and I will be there soon too. After we finish here and change."

"Change?' Natsu complained. "You were serious about that tux thing, Luce?"

"Very."

"Okay. See you guys there," Lisanna sighed as she and Bickslow headed for the door.

Behind her, she heard Natsu asked, "How come we don't get to be in the wedding, Luce?"

"Because Laxus hates us," was her answer.

"What? Nah."

"Yes."

"Not you," he reasoned.

"No, but his hatred of you is so immense that I'm out by association. So thanks a lot, Natsu."

The second they were out the door, the babies following, Bickslow found himself slipping his hand into Lisanna's.

"This is still so weird, huh?" she asked him as they headed towards the church. "Mira and Laxus getting married?"

He only shrugged. "We all knew it'd happen eventually."

"I guess so."

"Can't believe stupid Freed gets to be the best man though. That was bull. I could have planned a way better bachelor party."

"I know," she sighed. "You've told me."

"Oh, and I don't have to hear about how mad you are that she chose Erza to be her Maid of Honor?"

"Well that was a bigger betrayal than Laxus overlooking you," Lisanna told him. He only glanced down at her and grinned.

"How do you figure?"

"How do you figure?" his babies mimicked. "Lisanna?"

"Because I'm her sister," she said simply. "The one that she cherishes above all. And she hates Erza."

"Hated."

"No," Lisanna sighed. "Trust me. If it was Erza getting married, it'd very much so be hate."

He only winked at her. "If there was any reason to hate this whole thing, it'd be because I don't get to wear my helmet. Your sister has forbid it."

"Can you blame her?"

"Oh, what? So now suddenly helmets aren't wedding attire?"

She only squeezed his hand. "For the record, Bickslow, they're never going to be nor were they ever."

'Bet they were in medieval times," he grumbled. "Bet if a woman was marrying a damn knight, she'd want them all to know it. He'd come in his full suit of armor. Bet you."

"Well, you're not marrying Mira, Bickslow."

"No," he agreed. "I ain't."

"So I really don't think she cares if you're a knight or not."

"Not," his babies repeated making him frown. "Not."

"You know, you guys have gotten a little too chummy with Lissy here," he grumbled as she only giggled. "I mean, seriously."

When they arrived at the church, Bickslow immediately went off to find Laxus while Lisanna only headed to see her sister.

She was getting ready in one of the back rooms, Erza busy doing her make up. They seemed to be arguing though as the only other person in the room, Evergreen, looked on with boredom.

"-believe that I'm getting married and the great Erza Scarlet couldn't even get a date."

"I told you, Mira," she complained, trying to keep the contempt out of her voice as she spoke. "I have a date, but he shall not be getting here until the reception."

"My, my," Mira mocked. "Do tell me, what is it exactly that's holding Ichiya up?"

"For the last time," Erza growled. "It's not Ichiya!"

"Hey," Evergreen, who'd been looking over her nails, glanced over at them. "Do you want me to take over, Erza? I can do her make-"

"No, no," she said through clenched teeth. "Believe me, I've got this."

Lisanna only came closer, as if to make sure that Erza wasn't completely screwing her sister up just to spite her.

"Hi, Lisanna," Mirajane greeted when she noted her presence. "You really need to get into your dress."

She looked over the bridesmaids dresses that both Erza and Ever were sporting. Then she scratched at the back of her head.

"Uh, yeah, I was just about to get on that."

"Something wrong, Lisanna?" Erza glanced over at her and took in the look on her face. "Are you-"

"You know that she hates being in the church," Mira told her. "I mean, we did sort of hold her funeral here. She had a gravestone, after all."

"It's not that," she assured them as Ever only rolled her eyes. "It's just… I dunno. Everything's happening at once, I guess."

"Aw, Lisanna, are you sad that I'm getting married?"

"No," she told her sister. "Not really. It's just…different. And you won't be in the house anymore-"

"We're not kicking you out, Lisanna," Evergreen assured her. "If that's what you're afraid of. Besides, I don't think your brother would let me even if-"

"It's not that either," she assured the other woman. "And besides, I really don't think I can stay with you and Elf very long anyhow."

"Why not?"

Mira knew though. Even Erza knew, just from the look on her face. Lisanna didn't know how to put it though.

"You know," she said slowly. "You and, uh, big brother Elf fight a lot and-"

"What are trying to say-"

"N-Nothing," she said. "I just mean… I've never lived without you, Mirajane. Even in Edolas, I lived with that Mira and Elfman. This is all so… I dunno. Weird. Like the end of something or-"

"You can come live with Laxus and I, Lisanna," Mirajane offered. "When we get our new house. Okay? Would that-"

"I wouldn't want to do that either," she told her. "I mean, you guys are just starting out and-"

"Then where-"

"I'll probably just, I dunno, move into my own place," she said slowly. "I think."

No one said anything for a moment before Mirajane said slowly, "I dunno, Lisanna. That'd be a lot of-"

"I'd pay for it. I'm not asking you to-"

"I'd rather you just live with Elf or me, really."

"But-"

"Lisanna's an adult," Ever said then as Erza, finished with Mira, made an excuse to leave the room. She knew that family well and it was the last one whose drama she'd want to get caught up in. "She can do whatever she wants, Mira."

"That might be," Mirajane said slowly as she stood from the chair she was in. "But she's still my sister and I'm gong to look out for her. You're not ready, Lisanna, to live on your-"

"But if she thinks that she is-"

"What do you know, Evergreen? You're dating Elfman. Your opinion isn't valid in any conversation ever."

They were both surprised, Ever and Lisanna, by that little tidbit from Mirajane. Even she didn't seem to have meant to say it. After a moment, she only took to staring at her sister.

"The point is, Lisanna, that a lot is going on today, alright?" She only shrugged a little. "So how about we discuss this later? Okay?"

Discuss. Like Mirajane had some sort of say in it. Well, she didn't. Because Evergreen was right. Lisanna was an adult.

…Though Ever's motives behind supporting her were suspect. Lisanna figured she really just wanted her out of the house so that she and Elf could live alone. Which was fine. She respected that. Why should they have to live with her? Both Mirajane and Elfman were grown. They deserved to be out on their own.

By the same token, however, so did she.

* * *

"You have to admit, love him or hate him, Laxus does look rather nice in a suit."

"Bleck," Natsu said after that remark from his girlfriend. "Gross."

Lucy only shrugged as she sat at one of the tables in the guildhall. "Just saying."

Lisanna, who was sitting with them, only glanced at her newly crowned brother-in-law, who was over with the Thunder Legion, who were crying over him like usual, sad that he was going to be leaving the next morning on his honeymoon.

"He cleans up nice, I guess," she sighed making Natsu stick his tongue out further and Lucy nod in agreement. Pappa, who was seated in her lap, repeated the end of that, though it sounded hollow, as all his cohorts were over with their papa.

"The wedding was nice," Lucy went on, as if being retrospective. Happy, who was seated next to her with a plate of food, offered up his own compliments.

"Whoever made this fish sure knows how to cook," he added. Lisanna and Lucy both giggled at that as Natsu only went back to drinking.

It was while they were sitting there though that eventually Laxus found himself breaking away from the Thunder God Tribe to head over, first to Mirajane to whisper something to her, before slowly over to the table Lisanna was at.

"Scram," he said simply which was enough to get the buzzed Natsu and fearful Lucy and Happy to find a new table. Then he sat down, right next to Lisanna, and she was reminded of that time he came over to tell her that he knew about her and Bickslow. If only a little.

"Your sister said that you're moving out too," he said slowly. She only glanced at him.

"And?"

"You're gonna make this complicated, huh?" Reaching over, he patted her on the head, much to the dismay of Lisanna.

"Why do you have to do that? Huh? You always ruin my ha-"

"I want you to move in with me and your sister," he said. "I've already got a few places that-"

"What? No. Laxus-"

"Lisanna, just-"

"No," she repeated. "You and Mirajane are just getting married. You don't want me there to-"

"Don't tell me what I want."

"You know you don't," she went on. "Mirajane's putting you up to this, isn't she?"

"No," he said with a slight frown. "She's not, Lisanna."

"You-"

"Besides," he said, dropping his voice down lower then. "With the baby coming, we'll need someone around to help out. And you-"

"I'm not, Laxus," she told him. "Moving in, I mean. I'll help with the baby whenever. You know that. But I want… I want this, alright? To be on my own? I-"

"On your own where?"

They both glanced up as Bickslow came over to the table. Pappa immediately took to the air to greet the other wooden dolls who were just as happy to see him. They were all just so cute.

"Lisanna wants to move into her own place," Laxus said with a shrug as he slowly got to his feet. "If you're gonna fight me on it, kid, fine. Do it. But just know that you can come stay with us whenever, alright?"

She glanced up at him. "You love me, huh, big brother Lax-"

He knocked his knuckles gently against her head that time. Then, in a soft voice, he said, "Don't make me kill you."

With that, he was gone, leaving her and Bickslow alone. He only grinned though as she took to gigging.

"You got one crazy brother-in-law, Lissy," he snickered as, just as fast as one disappeared, the other one came over.

"Lisanna," Elfman was crying as he came to sit down with her. Tossing an arm over her shoulder, he said, "I just have…so many manly emotions running through me right now. I can't process them all."

She frowned as his tears dripped down onto her head. "There, there, Elf. Why don't you go find Ever and-"

"She told me that you want to leave me too."

"W-Well-"

"I can't take this!" he sobbed. "What did I do wrong, huh? That both you and Mirajane want to leave so badly?"

"It's not that," she assured him. "Just-"

"How am I supposed to handle all of this change?" he cried. "I've never been without Mirajane before. And you…for those two years you were…I can't…"

"Elf, we're not going anywhere serious," she told him. "We'll all still be right here in Magnolia. You know that."

"But," he sniffled. "Magnolia's so big."

"Oh, Elfman."

"And what if you're not, huh?" he went on. "I thought we'd all live in that house together and now that's gone. How long before you and Mirajane decide you want to leave Magnolia? Or worse, Fiore!"

"I really don't think-"

"Mira's always wanted to live in Joya. She's said that before. Or worse yet, the Pergrande Kingdom! Then I'll never see her." He was full on sobbing then, worse than Juvia would be in, oh, ten minutes when Gray rejected her offer for the fourth time to dance. Letting his sister go, he move to lay with his head down on the table and his arms folded around it, taking up most of the space. Bickslow looked to Lisanna for help, but she only shrugged.

"Elfman," she said slowly. "That won't happen."

"How do you know?" he cried. "You two are all I've ever had. And I lost you once. What's to say I won't lose Mirajane too? Huh? Huh? What if she goes to Joya and I can't get to her when she needs me? Or what if you go to Bellum or-"

"Bellum?" Bickslow asked. "You wanna live there?"

She glanced over at him. "Well, if I had to leave Fairy Tail or Magnolia, I've always thought I'd go ahead and leave Fiore too. See the-"

"Now you're leaving too," her brother cried out, bringing them back to their main focus. "How am I supposed to deal with this? Huh? Huh? What happened, Lisanna, to it being the three of us? It was always going to be the three of us! Since Mom and Dad died. And even more so when we got to Fairy Tail. Or when-"

"Elf," she groaned, moving to rest a hand on the back of his head. "Don't cry about it, alright? Huh? Look up. This might be the first time that we've all lived apart, yeah, but it had to happen. A lot of thing have been changing recently, huh?"

He sniffled. "Yeah."

"And a man, a real one at that, would face these changes head on."

He groaned. "Guess so."

"So stop crying, huh?"

"I'm just emotional."

"I know." She was stroking his hair then, softly. "But won't it be nice? To just be you and Ever in the house?"

"Yeah."

"And you can do whatever you want."

"Like what?"

"Like… You know how Mirajane won't let us wear socks and slide around on the kitchen floor? You can do that now! All the time!"

"Alright!"

"No." Evergreen, who was coming over to check on him, shook her head. "You can't."

He lifted his head to look as she sat down next to Bickslow. "But sometimes?"

"Elfman-"

Sniffles. "I just love my sisters."

"Yeah," she sighed loudly. "I've noticed."

Bickslow and Lisanna made their escape about then, her promising her brother that she'd never leave Fiore and, if she did ever did, she'd come and see him at least once a week.

…Yeah right.

After snagging a few beers, she and her boyfriend headed outside with his dolls, to be alone. The sun was setting by that time and it was actually very pretty outside.

"Mmmm," she said as they walked around for awhile before finding a spot, off from everyone, off by one of the corners of the gate surrounding the property. "You know, they're really killing me today."

"Who?"

"Both of them. Or all of them, I guess, now that I have Laxus to think about too."

He only snickered as they babies joined in. "I think you've had him to worry about for quite some time now, Lissy."

She only took a swig from her own beer, watching as her boyfriend looked up at the rising moon.

"You look really nice in your suit, Bickslow."

"You think so?"

"Mmmhmm," she said, nodding her head slightly. "Very, um, snazzy."

"Snazzy," he repeated prompting the babies to do the same. "I think I like that word."

"Do you now?"

He only nodded before taking a moment to look around. Then he found himself taking a step closer to her.

"So you're, uh, moving into your own place?" he asked. "Apartment?"

"I think so," she said. "I mean, I haven't given it much thought, but I'm going to start looking. I-"

"Well," he said slowly. "I've been thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Yeah. In the past few minutes."

She frowned. "Then you couldn't have put too much thought into whatever you're about to-"

"You wanna move in with me and the babies?" he blurted out before he lost his courage. Then Lisanna only stared at him, staring at his tattooed face. "'cause-"

"Bickslow," she said softly. "No."

The he just stood there as if in shock.

"No?"

Shaking her head slightly, she looked off. "I mean, not right now. This whole thing, since the beginning, has been about me being an adult. Growing up. And if I lived with you… I just want to be on my own. To take care of my own bills, worry about my own groceries, and just, you know, be by myself. Not that I don't love you, 'cause I do, but-"

"Wait, you do?"

She blinked before glancing back at his face, a blushing creeping up her own. "W-Well, yeah. I… I mean, you said it first, that night that Laxus proposed to Mirajane."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you-"

"Oh." He was still a little deflated, she could tell, no doubt disappointed in the fact that she didn't want to move in with him. Even the babies seemed a little melancholy then, floating close to Bickslow's head and not saying much.

"Wish you'd said something sooner," he said, scratching at his Mohawk then as he stared at her. "If I'dda known that you already knew that I loved ya, I wouldn't have been stressing so much."

"What do you mean?"

He only laughed slightly before moving to hug her. "You have no idea how many times, when we're saying goodbye or something, when I've been ready to say it. About to add it on to the end of my sentence and stopped. 'cause, you know, I didn't wanna freak you out or something. I ain't ever…loved someone before. Not like this."

Lisanna only took a deep breath then, resting her head against his chest. Letting it out slowly, she said, "Me too. I've never… You're my first too."

"In everything, huh?"

"Bickslow, don't ruin this."

His tongue fell out of his mouth then and, fearful he'd try to lick her or something, she took a step back.

"But I still don't wanna live with you," she told him quickly, as to bring the conversation back to where it had begun. "Alright? I'm just not… That's not something that I want right now. Okay?"

"That's fine, Lissy." He came closer and took her face in his hands. She thought it was cute, until he leaned in closer.

"Bickslow-"

"You're just so tasty," he said after licking her cheek.

"You're so weird."

"Only for you, kid." Then he rubbed his forehead against hers, grinning. The babies, noting the change, got excited again and started chanting her name. Except for Poppo who kept repeating meow over and over again. Maybe he was broken.

"The offer's always open, huh?" he whispered. "Whenever you want. We like having you stay with us. Don't we, babies?"

"Yes," they all agreed. "Lisanna. Naked Lisanna."

"Bickslow."

He only winked at her. "I've found I rather like you naked too."

"You-"

"Lisanna," they heard then and turned. "Here you are. And Bickslow too."

"Mirajane," she blushed as Bickslow quickly let her go, though his tongue still dangled from his mouth. "Hey."

She was coming over to them then, holding up the bushy front of her skirt so it wouldn't drag. When she was close enough though, she only moved to throw her arms around her sister.

"I was looking for you," she said simply. "We're about to do all those silly wedding things. Like the cake and the speeches and st-"

"Speeches? Freed said I can say some stuff, huh?" Bickslow looked to his girlfriend's sister who only shrugged.

"Just don't tick off Laxus, whatever you do. Please."

"Cool." He patted Lisanna on the head before rushing off, all of his babies following. "See you inside, Lissy."

They both watched him go before facing one another once more. Lisanna only grinned at her sister.

"You didn't have to come get me," she said as they made a much slower trek back to the hall. "Really."

"Of course I did," she said, keeping one arm around her sister. "I wouldn't do that stuff without you, Lisanna. I don't wanna do anything without you."

"Well-"

"And hey, Elfman said that you…that you told him you're moving out too?"

She sighed then, glancing at her sister. "I didn't mean to make this such a big deal on your wedding day. I mean, I know it's already all screwed up about-"

"What are you talking about? Today's been great." Then she paused. "Except for Elfman crying too much to walk me down the aisle and Master having to do it. Other than that-"

"I meant that, you know, you had to rush it," Lisanna said slowly. "I know that your wedding was always a big deal to you and that you weren't able to have your dream one today. So-"

"Oh, Lisanna, that's okay," she said, giggling. "I'm marrying someone that I want to be with. I love him too. What's better than that?"

"Well-"

"Besides, silly," she said, hugging her sister close then. "I still get to plan your wedding. And believe me, I don't care if you're pregnant, in a full body cast, or dying from a brain tumor; I am taking months to plan every little detail, down to the napkins. Okay?"

Then she kissed her head and Lisanna only giggled. Okay, so maybe sometimes it was nice to be taken care of. Especially from someone like Mirajane.

"So move wherever you want, Lisanna," Mira told her as they got closer to the guild. "I don't mind. Or care. Just know that if you need anything at all, Laxus and I-"

"Yeah, I know," she said with a sigh. "Trust me, I know."

It wasn't until they were actually in the hall once more that Mira let go of her sister. And that was because she saw that Erza's date had finally shown up.

"Jellal?" she asked, her jaw about hitting the floor as she saw the two of them awkwardly attempting to dance with one another. "She brought Jellal?"

"Well," Lisanna said slowly. "They do have a pretty unique how we first met story to tell at such occasions."

Mirajane let go of her sister before heading over to Erza, grabbing Laxus on the way. No way she was going to be outshined on her own wedding day. No way.

Lisanna only giggled though before going off to find her own friends. Natsu and Lucy were hanging out with Levy and the begrudging Gajeel who was complaining loudly when she showed up.

"I can't believe Laxus hired a band," he grumbled to them as Lisanna joined their group. "He knows that I would have played for free!"

"Yeah, Gajeel, I don't think he would have thought you were worth paying anyhow," Levy said as Lily, who was in her arms, snickered. He only frowned.

"You know, cat, you're mine, not hers, right?" he grumbled as Happy, who was resting atop Natsu's head, giggled into his palm, as to not let the Iron Dragon Slayer know he too was mocking him.

"Hey, Lisanna," Natsu greeted as the others only grinned at her. "I heard someone say something about cake a second ago-"

"I'm sure they'll cut it soon, Natsu," Lucy said, rolling her eyes as he only took to grinning. Lisanna giggled though, because Natsu was funny to her, always.

And she must have spent more time that night with her friends that she did her own boyfriend. Though, when it was all said and done and the party was over with Mirajane and Laxus heading back to his place only to leave in the morning for their trip, Lisanna couldn't help, but to feel a little sad.

"What's wrong, Lissy?" Bickslow asked after they got to his own apartment. "You look down."

"You look down," his dolls agreed as they circled around her, Pappa even coming to rest in one of her hands.

"I dunno," she sighed as she went to sit on the couch, not even worrying about her dress in that moment. Bickslow though had been waiting forever to get out of his suit and began to strip the second they were through the door. "It's just…over, huh?"

"What? The day? Pretty much." He only came to join her when he was down to his boxers. Ah. Finally free. "Unless you wanna do something."

She glanced at him before sighing and moving to stand. "Help me out of my dress, huh?"

"Hide your eyes, babies," he instructed which only got a big eye roll out of her.

Once she had hung the dress, Lisanna found herself in very little else. Only her undergarments and pendant. Usually that would have made her a bit bashful, but at the moment, she was too tired to care.

"You were saying something about things being over?" Bickslow prompted once they'd found themselves in his bed, the babies scattered around.

"Just…I dunno. Everything, I guess. It's the end of, like, my life with my big sister and big brother. Finally."

"Thought that's what you wanted?" He stretched out on the bed, as she only sat up, knees pulled to her chest, glancing at him randomly. "This whole time?"

"I did. I do. But still."

"Mmmm." He reached over to pat her on the back. "Remember when you wanted to, like, go out and sleep with every guy ever in existence just to get over the Salamander?"

"Shut up," she said as he only took to snickering. "You're so stupid."

Closing his eyes, he said, "You wanna know a secret?"

"Hmmm?"

"…I always thought you were kinda dorky," he said. "Even before you died. Or whatever."

"That's okay," she sighed. "I always thought you and Freed…you know."

"I know what?"

"Well," she said slowly. "You know how everyone always says that Freed has a thing for Laxus?"

"Yeah."

"Well…you are kinda obsessive about him-"

"You thought I was gay?"

"You guys are the ones that are always telling Laxus how amazing and awesome he is. And how committed you are to him. What other man tells-"

"Laxus is awesome," he told her.

"Oh brother."

"He is," Bickslow insisted. "He's just so-"

"And now you see my point."

"Shut up." He flicked her back that time. "Lissy."

"Mmmm." She closed her eyes, just resting there for a moment. "Hey, Bickslow?"

"What?"

"You think Elf and Ever really will, you know, be able to stay in that house together?"

"I dunno," he said. "But considering she's giving up her apartment, I think you better get a two bedroom one. Either that or a big couch."

"Why's that?"

"Something tells me Elfman's about to get kicked out a lot more often than when Laxus would stay over with Mirajane. And something else tells me Laxus ain't letting him into the new house either."

Giggling, she shifted then to lay down, careful not to lay on any of the babies.

"Hey, Bickslow?" she whispered as she settled against his chest.

"What?"

"I really do love you."

"Yeah, kid," he sighed as the babies all fell dormant. "I love you too."

* * *

About a month later had a finally openly pregnant Mirajane seated on Laxus' old couch, which had found a new home in the apartment of her younger sister, just watching as all the others went around carrying boxes and moving things in.

"You could help," Lisanna complined.

"Pregnant."

"You could at least-"

"Pregnant," Mirajane sang out as Laxus, who was carrying a heavy box over to the bedroom, nodded proudly.

"Hell yeah you are."

"I never got that," Evergreen said softly to Elfman, over in the kitchen as they put away the few plates and silverware that Lisanna had brought with her from their home.

"Got what?" he asked cautiously. In only a month of living together, the woman had already made him regret the decision a thousand times over. One little disagreement could send him into a world of hurt.

"Why men think it's, like, some badge of honor to get a woman pregnant," she complained. "Like, wow. You had sex. Big whoop."

He only shrugged. "We could try and find out if-"

"Elfman," she warned. They'd discussed that before and, as Ever put it, there was no way that a baby was ever, and she meant ever, running her figure. And she didn't do diapers. She just didn't.

Grinning, he only took to placing some glasses in the cabinet of the tiny kitchen. "He's your hero anyways, Laxus is. Aren't you proud of him?"

"For saving the guild countless times? Sure," she said. "But for having sex with your sister? Not really."

The front door was busting open again then and Bickslow came striding into the apartment, another box with him.

"You sure got enough stuff, kid," he complained to Lisanna who only gave him a look.

"I'm so sorry, Bickslow, that after living in one place since I was a teenager I've acquired a few things."

"Me too."

"Lisanna!" His babies, who had been with him, rushed over to greet her, making the woman giggle. Mirajane only went back to the box in front of her, which held a few books. She was supposed to be organizing them into stacks so they could easily be transferred to a bookshelf, but, hey, pregnant.

That was her excuse for everything. Only Laxus thought it was cute.

Then again, he was just happy to have a baby, as it was turning out. He had already taunted everyone else in the guild that he was going to be the first one with a protégé.

Most everyone else called it a spawn. Though considering it was from the she-devil and the Thunder God, that was probably actually a very fitting title.

Natsu'd already asked what'd they do if the baby turned out to actually be a demon and killed everyone. In fact, he'd asked many different times, phrased in a variety of ways. Each time he was either told to shut up or, if Laxus was around, beaten into submission. One or the other.

"You're place isn't that bad," Elfman told Lisanna at one point when they found themselves putting up the dishes as, according to Evergreen, she needed a break. Really she just went and sat next to Mirajane and did nothing for the rest of the day.

"Thanks."

"I, uh, was noticing though that it only had one bedroom-"

"Laxus' old couch is a pullout," she told him. "Trust me, Mira stayed over at his place that he knows just what you're going through.

"Right."

It wasn't until they were all finally gone, leaving only her and Bickslow, that things calmed down some. They were all going out to eat together and, though she could see he wanted to go, Bickslow declined.

"I'd rather be with you anyways, Lissy," he said.

"Aw," she'd giggled. "I finally beat out food."

Laxus and Mirajane both told her though that, even though she'd signed a lease and was stuck there for the next six months, if she wanted to break it at any time, they'd pay for it.

"And hey," Laxus'd whispered slyly to her at one point. "We can only afford to raise one kid right now. So you and doll boy keep your shop shut down for the time being."

"Laxus," she'd complained, though she shut right up as he slipped her a 10, 000 jewels and told her that he was only looking out for her.

"You didn't just give her money, did you?" Mira'd asked as they left. "Laxus-"

"No."

"You're lying. I saw you do it."

"…It was only a little, Mira. Man, you're really on my nerves today."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

They weren't the only ones fighting when they left either. Elfman and Ever got into it before they even made it to the door, really, as she was annoyed with how much he was crying.

"Be a man, Elfman!"

"I am," he sobbed as he held onto Lisanna. "You don't know how hard this is for me, Ever!"

"And it's easy for me? To see that I'm with a little crying boy who-"

"I am a man!"

After they were gone, things almost seemed…quiet. Even with Bickslow around.

"So how you like it, Lissy?" he asked as they collapsed onto her couch to survey her new place. "It's all yours."

"I like it," she giggled.

"She likes it," the babies said as they came to rest on the couch too, Pappa of course in her lap. "Lisanna likes it."

"Your first apartment," he said as he kissed her head.

"Yeah," she sighed, leaning against him. "It is, isn't it?"

But the quietest that the place was, as she found out, was when Bickslow headed home that night. He was going to spend the night, but they had a job the next morning and they didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to being around each other during those times.

"Love you," he'd told her as the babies mimicked it as well, following him out of the door. "Lissy."

And when she laid in bed that night, the apartment was still and dark, she was alone. Completely alone. Her sister wasn't there, nor her brother, nor either of their annoying partners, much less her own. One would have thought that she'd be lonely or at least a little apprehensive, but she wasn't. Not in the slightest.

"My first night alone," she giggled as she snuggled up in bed. As an adult. Quickly, she added, "But only the first of many."

And it was.

 


End file.
